BERLIN : Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday defended her decision to end Germany’s use of nuclear power next year, but acknowledged that it will make it harder to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the short term. The decision, taken in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster 10 years ago, is regarded as one of […]
Germany Targets More Ambitious 2045 Net-Zero Emission Goal
Germany plans to pull forward its transition to climate neutrality by five years to 2045, responding to a legal rebuke that its current goals violate the rights of young people and children. The proposal also calls for Germany to reduce emissions by 2030 by 65% compared with 1990 levels, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said Wednesday […]
Merkel Expects Climate Change Law to Go to Cabinet in Coming Week – Sources
The 2019 law, agreed between Merkel’s conservatives and their Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners after much wrangling, includes a commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels. It also has a goal of emitting almost no CO2 by 2050. Options to reduce emissions include expanding renewable energy and […]
Germany rings in 2021 with CO2 tax, coal phase-out
From January 1, 2021 the government will charge 25 euros ($30) per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions released by the transport and heating sectors Frankfurt : Germany is aiming for a green start to 2021 by shutting down a coal-fired power plant and slapping a CO2 price on transport, but critics say the efforts aren’t […]
Green recovery can revive virus-hit economies and tackle climate change: study
“The COVID-19 crisis could mark a turning point in progress on climate change,” the authors wrote, adding that much would depend on policy choices made in the next six months LONDON: Massive programmes of green public investment would be the most cost-effective way both to revive virus-hit economies and strike a decisive blow against climate […]
Rich nations must make pandemic recovery plans green: global investors
While some members of the world’s 20 biggest economies such as Britain, France and Germany have made statements about doing just that, some of the biggest emitters such as China and the United States have yet to do so LONDON: The world’s richest nations must ensure their COVID-19 recovery plans are sustainable and help meet […]
Save coal, lose youth vote? Far-right German party faces climate policy revolt
A youth wing of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has called on the party to rethink its climate scepticism, which includes defending the coal industry, after a poor showing among young voters in last week’s European Parliament election. A youth wing of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has called on the party to […]