Environmental groups and activists have called for a stronger focus on climate protection following initial soundings between the Union and the SPD. Economic growth and jobs should not be prioritized over climate and biodiversity, said the president of the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), Jörg-Andreas Krüger, to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Saturday editions).
“Short-term and long-term interests must be well-balanced to avoid increasing uncertainties, such as those related to natural resources, drinking water, or extreme weather events” Krüger said. Unlike initial reports in the run-up to the soundings, he had recognized a willingness to take action from the Union and SPD during the election campaign. “Now, they must deliver sustainable solutions, as the protection of nature and the climate is non-negotiable” he demanded.
The climate protection organization “Fridays For Future” called on the black-red coalition to form a “climate government”: it would be ignorant and a “danger to people” if the climate were left out of the soundings, said the organization’s spokesperson, Carla Reemtsma, to the RND. “For the soundings, this means that the new coalition must, on the one hand, stand behind the ban on fossil fuels, the building energy act and the expansion of renewable energy. On the other hand, it needs clear commitments to more funding for the transformation, the expansion of public transportation and the energy transition.