Union member Heilmann re-appointed as Climate Union's chairperson. - Chairmanship of Climate Union re-assumed by Heilmann following election
Thomas Heilmann, a prominent Berlin-based CDU politician, has been re-elected as the chairman of the Climate Union. The association, formed in 2021, unites members of the CDU and CSU who advocate for climate-neutral concepts at municipal, state, and federal levels. The election, held in Mannheim, resulted in Heilmann securing 91.3% of the votes, as announced by the Climate Union.
Heilmann, who held roles such as deputy state chairman of the Berlin CDU and justice senator, gained nationwide attention in 2023 for challenging the accelerated heating law of the current government before the Federal Constitutional Court. He and fellow parliamentarians outlined their climate policy ideas under the title "Green Zero" prior to the 2021 federal election, advocating for a higher CO2 price and faster renewable energy approvals.
Following his re-election, Heilmann emphasized the importance of effective climate policy under a potential CDU-led federal government and defended the European emissions trading system. He expressed concerns about the ongoing climate protection debate, stating, "It depends on Germany, on Ursula von der Leyen, and Friedrich Merz that this historic question of climate protection is not answered incorrectly now."
Wiebke Winter, another CDU federal board member, was confirmed as Heilmann's deputy with 95.7% of the votes. The Climate Union, with over 1,000 members, including roughly two dozen EU, Bundestag, and state parliament representatives, aims to bridge the gap between conservative and green climate policies.
Thomas Heilmann is recognized for his pragmatic yet ambitious climate policies within the conservative sphere. While specific details about the "Green Zero" initiative are limited, Heilmann's leadership and policy positions focus on integrating climate action into Germany's political and constitutional framework, potentially through collaboration with the Greens. Key aspects of his climate policy agenda include binding climate neutrality targets, investment in climate-friendly infrastructure, and securing these goals via legal frameworks.
- Thomas Heilmann, in his capacity as the chairman of the Climate Union, is also proposing an increase in the number of Member States' national programmes for science, climate-change, environmental-science, policy-and-legislation, and general-news, specifically for the period 2000-06, as part of his ambitious climate policies within the conservative sphere.
- With a focus on integrating climate action into Germany's political and constitutional framework, Thomas Heilmann, the re-elected chairman of the Climate Union, seeks to bridge the gap between conservative and green climate policies, thereby encouraging binding climate neutrality targets and investing in climate-friendly infrastructure, backed by legal frameworks.
- Amidst the ongoing climate protection debate, Thomas Heilmann, a prominent Berlin-based CDU politician and chairman of the Climate Union, expressed concerns about the potential misdirection of the climate policy answers, stating, "It depends on Germany, on Ursula von der Leyen, and Friedrich Merz that this historic question of climate protection is not answered incorrectly now."
