There is no doubt that climate protection is at the heart of our politics.” This is what the new Hessian Prime Minister Boris Rhein announced in his government statement.
The Union politician spoke about "the world's largest fuel cell train fleet" in the Taunus, solar energy on the roofs of the universities, higher energy efficiency of buildings, local public transport and "the largest forest development program in the history of the state".
Only wind energy was not mentioned by Rhein.
One reason could be that the expansion in Hesse is progressing more poorly than well.
In any case, the data now presented by experts on the duration of the decision-making process is not a glorious page.
In no other federal state do the authorities take as long to approve the plants as in Hesse.
Profound conflicts with nature conservation
Economics Minister Tarek Al-Wazir (The Greens) refers to the complaints that are hindering the expansion of wind power on the occasion of the current data.
But their high number cannot be explained by the fact that the Hessians are a particularly troublesome people.
The reason for the repeatedly successful legal defense also lies in the numerous errors that can be found in the permits from the authorities.
The construction freeze imposed by the administrative court in Reinhardswald is a blatant defeat for the Kassel regional council, the competent authority in the state.
The announced attempt to obtain legally flawless approvals more quickly will come up against natural limits.
In contrast to the conditions on the north German coast, fundamental and far-reaching conflicts with nature conservation are insoluble in the large Hessian forests.
Nevertheless, wanting to push wind turbines across the board with all your might does not do justice to the natural conditions in Hesse.