Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has rejected claims made by the country’s Minister of Economics, Katherina Reiche, who has suggested reviewing the country’s climate goals. The SPD’s parliamentary group, responsible for climate policy, has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2045, as outlined in the coalition agreement.
“We will pursue the goal of climate neutrality by 2045, not only for the entire coalition but also for the Federal Ministry of Economics” said Esra Limbacher, the SPD’s deputy spokesperson for climate policy, in an interview with the German magazine Stern. The SPD will prioritize effective climate protection and seek a balance with the economy, particularly through concrete measures.
The SPD’s parliamentary group’s climate policy spokesperson, Jakob Blankenburg, echoed the party’s stance, stating that Germany will maintain its climate goals. “Whoever seeks to undermine these goals now not only endangers political reliability but also our responsibility towards future generations” he said.
In contrast, the Christian Democratic Union’s (CDU) federal vice-chair, Michael Kretschmer, expressed support for Reiche, describing her as a renowned energy expert. Kretschmer believes that Germany should aim to be climate-neutral by 2050 and that Reiche’s expertise should be utilized to address the realities of the situation.
Reiche had previously called for a harmonization of Germany’s climate policy with international targets, including the 2050 goal outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. While acknowledging that this goal is not explicitly mentioned in the coalition agreement, Reiche emphasized the need to consider what is feasible in a specific timeframe.
The Ministry of Economics later confirmed that the coalition agreement remains in effect, with Reiche’s comments at the “Tag der Industrie” event intended to highlight the ambitious nature of the 2045 goal for the economy.