Survey on climate policy: half of Germans can do with CO2

In terms of climate policy, environmental associations and parts of the federal government are calling for greater efforts by the state and companies.

This leads to growing tensions.

The steps taken so far to limit CO2 emissions have not met with undivided sympathy among the population either.

After all, according to a survey, a narrow majority of citizens are not worried that higher CO2 prices could put too much financial strain on them.

This is the result of a representative survey by the market research institute Kantar.

According to this, 52 percent of those surveyed said they were not concerned about carbon dioxide prices, which also make fuel more expensive.

On the other hand, 45 percent are worried that the price would weigh too heavily on them.

2 percent did not provide any information.

The CO2 price has reached the citizens

Since January 1, there has been a CO2 surcharge on oil and gas in the transport and building sectors.

As a contribution to climate protection, this is intended to make the use of fossil fuels less attractive, but also means higher prices for consumers, for example at the petrol pump or for heating.

The price is currently 25 euros per tonne of CO2.

It is expected to rise to 55 euros by 2025.

According to the survey, 59 percent stated that they would agree to higher CO2 prices if a direct compensation were created - for example through a lump sum repayment to citizens (“climate check”).

If the revenues from the CO2 price flow back into the state budget and not go back directly to the citizens, only a quarter of the respondents would support price increases.

Environment Ministry wants to organize funds for developing countries

Six weeks before the world climate summit in Glasgow, State Secretary for the Environment Jochen Flasbarth called for a substantial increase in climate aid for poor countries.

The industrialized countries have not yet fulfilled their promise to provide 100 billion dollars annually for climate protection and adaptation in developing countries, Flasbarth told the Evangelical Press Service.

"That is why the industrialized countries must significantly increase their efforts," emphasized the State Secretary, who was commissioned by the British conference presidency to draw up a plan with his Canadian colleague to increase the funds.

The 26th UN Climate Change Conference will take place from October 31 to November 12.

At previous summits, the industrialized countries committed themselves to providing 100 billion dollars in climate aid annually between 2020 and 2025.

According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published on Friday, nearly $ 80 billion was raised from government and private sources in 2019.

Although the figures for 2020 are not yet available, the OECD assumes that the funding target was clearly missed last year.

"We want to give the developing countries a clear signal that strengthens their trust in our commitments," emphasized the civil servant state secretary in the Federal Environment Ministry.

Car manufacturer BMW contradicts German environmental aid

In the dispute over an end to the internal combustion engine, the car manufacturer BMW rejected the demand by Deutsche Umwelthilfe not to sell cars with gasoline or diesel engines anywhere in the world from 2030 onwards.

The association had demanded a cease and desist from BMW by Monday at the latest and threatened to file a lawsuit.

The Munich-based company now writes in its reply that the democratically legitimized parliaments decided on the way to achieve the climate targets.

The legislature weighs up all the social concerns concerned.

A legal dispute between two private parties cannot replace this democratic process.

Therefore, BMW rejects the alleged injunctive relief of environmental aid, it says in the letter. As a contribution to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, BMW wants to reduce the CO2 emissions of its cars by 40 percent from raw materials through production to the end of use by 2030.

In the opinion poll by Kantar, by the way, the answers to another question also show a great preference of the citizens for ways towards climate neutrality. When asked about the preferred way of dealing with the income from the CO2 price, 77 percent said that the money should flow into climate-friendly investments, for example in the expansion of renewable energies or in building renovation. Three quarters of those surveyed (75 percent) would like the electricity prices to fall. Only a little more than half (51 percent) stated that they preferred reimbursement to citizens via climate check to all other options.