The Greens are campaigning at their party congress to fight the climate crisis for the sake of freedom.

"Those who protect the climate protect freedom," said party chairman Robert Habeck in his speech at the start of the party congress on Friday afternoon.

Freedom does not mean "not irregularity", said Habeck.

The CO2 price is an "important steering instrument", said Habeck and explained that according to his party's ideas, the additional income should be returned to the citizens in the form of energy money.

Helene Bubrowski

Political correspondent in Berlin.

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    But you cannot control everything in terms of climate protection via the CO2 price, he warned.

    "We need the entire arsenal of politics to get this transformation done," he included regulatory policy, state funding, and one must ensure that social tensions do not become too great.

    The green election program provides for the CO2 price to be increased to 60 euros per ton as early as 2023, which is a little more than the grand coalition is planning.

    For some Greens, however, this does not go far enough, they are calling for a further increase.

    The application was rejected in the evening, as was the request to allow only 70 kilometers per hour on country roads.

    Habeck advertises guarantee protection

    But the question of justice cannot be solved through climate protection alone, said Habeck. Rather, climate protection and social policy should be thought of together. He repeated the Greens' request to replace the Hartz system with a guarantee. The ecological transformation would lead to the creation of new jobs, but other jobs would be lost along the way. "People shouldn't lose their dignity with their job," said Habeck, "then Germany will blow apart."

    Habeck also campaigned for basic child benefits and fair wages.

    The “time-honored concept” must apply that one “can live from the work of one's hands”.

    The Greens chairman also promoted a “decade of investment”.

    Nobody wants to go back to a debt policy, he said, but financial policy has to be readjusted so that more money is available for improving public infrastructure.

    The Greens want to loosen the debt brake and combine it with an investment rule.

    "With serenity and strength through thick and thin"

    Looking at the falling polls and the allegations against co-chair Annalena Baerbock, Habeck said: "After Annalena Baerbock was nominated as candidate for chancellor, we have made a furious start," and we have been facing headwinds for three weeks.

    “We made mistakes,” he admitted.

    Growing speculation that he could be elected as Chancellor candidate instead of Baerbock was resolutely opposed by Habeck: “Solidarity and camaraderie do not prove themselves when the sun is shining, but when someone is standing in the rain,” he said and appealed to the Greens, “with serenity and strength through thick and thin ”.

    At the three-day digital party conference, the Greens will debate their election manifesto, to which members have tabled more than 3,000 amendments. On Saturday, Baerbock and Habeck are to be confirmed as the top duo for the federal election, on Sunday the Greens want to decide on their election program.