As the parliamentary group leader for the Greens, Katharina Dröge, proposed an energy crisis payment during a debate about further relief measures. Speaking to RTL and ntv, she stated, “The Greens suggest an energy crisis payment of 100 euros per person”. She explained that the payment would be taxable, ensuring that lower-income earners would receive a higher share relative to their income compared to higher earners. This, she argued, was significantly fairer than the current fuel discount, which she suggests will mostly end up benefiting oil corporations.
Separately, in light of potential kerosene shortages, Dröge advised avoiding domestic flights. She emphasized that she believes the German rail network is a much better alternative to flying within Germany and that everyone who can should consider foregoing such travel.
The current federal government has been pressuring Dröge to advocate more strongly for energy conservation. Dröge found it “incredible” that a federal government seemed unwilling to discuss energy savings constantly. She criticized the Minister of Economics for being vague about whether kerosene supplies might become scarce. Although she noted the potential for shortages, she argued that the government was reluctant to issue calls or mandates for energy conservation, neither for car drivers nor for the aviation industry.
Dröge further suggested implementing an additional levy on private flights, given that private planes consume enormous amounts of CO2. She described private flights as completely unnecessary at the current time and proposed this as the very first step toward conserving kerosene. Furthermore, she argued that the federal government urgently needed to create an energy-saving plan, asserting that while the European Commission is working on one, the German government was currently unwilling to even discuss the matter.