A significant internal rift is emerging within Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) as influential factions push for a softening of the party’s ambitious climate targets. A joint motion, spearheaded by the party’s pro-business Mittelstand Union (MIT) and the Christian Association of Workers (CDA), aims to introduce greater flexibility in climate and energy policy, prioritizing the concerns of businesses, consumers and broader societal acceptance. The proposal, detailed in a report by “Handelsblatt”, is slated for debate at the CDU’s upcoming federal party conference in Stuttgart.
The motion challenges the established definition of “climate neutrality” diverging from the scientific consensus endorsed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which defines climate neutrality as achieving a state of net-zero emissions. This stance also contradicts the interpretation of climate neutrality enshrined in Germany’s constitution following a 2021 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court.
Instead of pursuing the near-complete elimination of emissions, the MIT and CDA propose a shift in focus to a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the European level. Future reductions, they argue, should be contingent on the broader global trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. This represents a substantial deviation from Germany’s current commitments, as defined by the Paris Agreement and reinforced by domestic legal precedent.
“Climate neutrality must mean: 90 percent fewer emissions by 2050 – conceived in European terms, embedded globally. Everything else depends on the world” stated Gitta Connemann, chairwoman of the Mittelstand Union, to “Handelsblatt”.
Proponents of the motion, including CDA chairman Dennis Radtke, frame the proposal as a “course correction with a measured approach” advocating for a move away from what they deem inflexible national policies toward a harmonized European strategy. Radtke further warned that existing climate policy is “on a collision course with the reality of many industrial companies” suggesting a significant economic strain resulting from the current trajectory.
The timing of the motion is politically sensitive, arriving just weeks before crucial state elections in Baden-Württemberg. With approximately 260 proposals submitted for consideration at the Stuttgart conference, the debate surrounding climate policy is expected to be a defining moment for the CDU, potentially exposing deep divisions within the party and signaling a potential shift in Germany’s climate ambitions. Critics worry this represents a politically expedient retreat from environmental responsibility, undermining Germany’s leadership role in international climate action and potentially jeopardizing the country’s long-term sustainability goals.