German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider Vows to Press Ahead with Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Despite Coalition Agreement
Despite the coalition agreement, German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to phasing out fossil fuel heating systems, with no intention of revising the plan. Schneider told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that the transition to clean heating sources will not alter the decision to abandon fossil fuels and that the government will focus on supporting those who need it most, particularly those who can least afford it.
The minister also emphasized that the coalition agreement, which had initially proposed the abolition of the heating law, will not be revisited in its entirety. Instead, the focus will be on making minor adjustments to the details.
Furthermore, Schneider ruled out the possibility of reviving the internal combustion engine, citing the global market’s shift towards electric vehicles and the German industry’s failure to develop the technology in a timely manner. He described it as “absurd” to consider reverting to internal combustion engines, given the European Union’s 2035 ban on new fossil fuel-based vehicles and the remaining decade for German manufacturers to catch up with their competitors.