Climate Expert Kemfert Warns of Potential Setbacks Post Government Shuffle
Government shift may lead to obstacles in climate action, warns Kemfert - Apprehension amongst specialists concerning potential retaliation towards climate change due to a government shift
Veteran economist, Claudia Kemfert, expresses concerns over the future of climate protection in the wake of the government shakeup. A significant concern is the relocation of climate protection responsibilities from the economics ministry to the environmental department, a decision that she deems as "strategic mistake." Kemfert raises the point that climate policy is inherently economic, and the removal of the responsibility from the economics ministry might lead to policies that prioritize the environment over economic growth.
Reviewing the heating law, Kemfert highlights expert opinions questioning the need for change not only in the transport sector but also in the building sector. However, political campaigns against the heating law have caused a resurgence in gas heating systems, hindering efforts to reduce emissions. Kemfert stresses the need for substantial financial support for "consequential energy saving."
Kemfert voiced her disapproval for the gas power plant proposals by Federal Minister of Economics, Katherina Reiche (CDU), calling them "completely oversized." Instead, she recommends focusing more on flexibilized biogas plants. The expert suggests exploring alternatives such as hydropower, flexible energy system optimization, and large-scale battery usage to fulfill the county's energy needs.
Lorenz Gösta Beutin, a political figure from The Left, criticized Reiche's gas power plant plans, asserting that they represent an "energy policy dead end." Beutin advocates for a decentralized, socially just energy transition, employing renewables, and public investments to achieve a balanced outcome of climate protection, supply security, and social justice.
- Claudia Kemfert
- Climate Protection Setback
- Government Reshuffle
- DIW
- Heating Law
- Gas Power Plant
- Government Dynamics
- Policy Coordination
- Environmental Conservation
- Economic Growth
- Claudia Kemfert, a climatologist from the DIW, foresees potential setbacks in climate protection due to the government reshuffle, particularly the relocation of climate responsibilities from the economics ministry to the environmental department, which she deems a strategic mistake.
- In her criticism of the gas power plant proposals by Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU), Claudia Kemfert asserts that such proposals represent an environmental-science policy dead end and calls for a decentralized, socially just energy transition employing renewables and public investments, rather than oversized gas power plants.
- As she voices her disapproval for the government's shifting policy priorities, Kemfert emphasizes the need for proactive climate-change policies that align economic growth with environmental conservation and stresses the importance of policy-and-legislation coordination to ensure consequential energy saving, particularly in the heating law review.
