traffic - Steinmeier signs new climate protection law
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has signed the controversial new Climate Protection Law which can take effect after its publication. For Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP), the drafting of the legislative amendment came just in time; otherwise, he would have had to present an emergency program for more climate protection in the transport sector on Monday.
In the future, there will be a comprehensive, multi-sectoral consideration of greenhouse gas emissions. This reduction should occur where the greatest savings potential lies. This eliminates the previous sectoral approach. Wissing particularly benefits from this, as the transport sector has never achieved its climate goals before.
Transport sector misses climate targets
The Expert Council for Climate Issues recently determined in April that the transport sector had missed its annual target yet again and emitted significantly more greenhouse gases than planned. The law itself does not change the climate targets; Germany is still aiming to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2045.
The law was passed by the Bundestag at the end of April and passed through the Bundesrat in mid-May. The examination of the law's constitutionality by the Federal Presidential Office took an unusually long time.
No evident constitutional violation
The Federal Presidential Office announced on Monday that the focus of the examination was the compatibility with the provisions set by the Federal Constitutional Court in its climate protection decision in March 2021. "The Federal President has come to the conclusion that no evident constitutional violation exists," it said in a statement.
Environmental organization sees constitutional violations
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) had urged Steinmeier to withhold his signature on the law. The organization claimed to have sent him a 18-page letter detailing, in its view, the constitutional violations in the law.
- The new Climate Protection Law, which was signed by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, primarily focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Germany, with a particular emphasis on sectors with the greatest savings potential.
- Given that the transport sector has consistently failed to meet its climate targets, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) will benefit significantly from the law's comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach.
- Despite the passage of the Climate Protection Law by the Bundestag and Bundesrat, its implementation has been delayed due to an unusually lengthy examination of its constitutionality by the Federal Presidential Office.
- The German Environmental Aid (DUH) expressed concerns about potential constitutional violations in the Climate Protection Law, sending an 18-page letter to Federal President Steinmeier outlining their concerns.
- Following the Federal Presidential Office's announcement that no evident constitutional violation was found, the controversial new Climate Protection Law will now take effect in Germany, bringing increased scrutiny and accountability to the transport sector and other sectors in regard to climate protection.
