We can learn from Germany’s plans to tackle the climate crisis – but first we need to change our electoral system. the new government of Germany, Europe’s largest economy, has just put tackling the climate emergency at the heart of its new coalition agreement. It has stated starkly and correctly that, “the climate crisis endangers our livelihoods and threatens freedom, prosperity and security”. It then sets out its ambition to transform Germany into “a social, ecological and market economy”, which very neatly synthesises the political philosophies of the three coalition partners, the Social Democrats, the Greens and the business-friendly right-wing Liberals. The headline climate commitments include that, by 2030, the country will be producing 80 per cent of an expanded electricity supply from renewables; will have phased out coal power; and 50 per cent of heat will be zero carbon. Interestingly, they think that this expansion of renewables can be achieved without any state subsidies, using long-term purchase agreements.
Independent 3rd Dec 2021 read more »