Germany’s transport minister criticized over proposed weekend driving ban

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

GERMANY’S TRANSPORT MINISTER IS RECEIVING BACKLASH – AFTER THREATENING TO IMPOSE A WEEKEND DRIVING BAN THIS SUMMER.

VOLKER WISSING SAID SUCH A BAN COULD HELP GERMANY MEET ITS PROPOSED EMISSION QUOTAS UNDER THE CLIMATE PROTECTION ACT AS THE COUNTRY SEEKS TO CUT ITS EMISSIONS TO NET ZERO BY 2045.

SINCE SEPTEMBER 2023 – THE COUNTRY’S COALITION OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS, GREENS AND FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTIES HAVE BEEN IN TALKS TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON PASSING CLIMATE REFORMS – AND ADDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE EMISSIONS-REDUCTION LAW BY MID-JULY.

HOWEVER THEY HAVEN’T STRUCK A DEAL YET. 

GERMANY’S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REPORTED THE COUNTRY LOWERED ITS GREENHOUSE GASSES BY MORE THAN 10 PERCENT IN 2023 TO THE LOWEST IN 70 YEARS.

HOWEVER – WISSING SAID IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO MEET THE NATION’S TARGETS .

AND ACCORDING TO THE CLIMATE PROTECTION LAW – ANY MINISTRY OVERSEEING A SECTOR THAT IS UNDERPERFORMING, SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION – MUST INITIATE A PROGRAM TO GET THE SECTOR BACK ON TRACK.

SO FAR – WISSING HAS NOT IMPLEMENTED ANY KIND OF PROGRAM – SINCE MAKING CHANGES TO TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS PEOPLE’S EVERYDAY LIVES – AND CANNOT BE RUSHED INTO.

WISSING SAID IF THE COALITION CAN’T COMPROMISE ON AN AMENDMENT BY MID-JULY – HE WOULD HAVE TO IMPOSE A TWO-DAY-A-WEEK PERSONAL DRIVING BAN.

SOME LAWMAKERS AND POLITICIANS ACCUSED WISSING OF “SCAREMONGERING.”

GERMANY’S GREENS PARTY SAID WISSING  WAS GUILTY OF STIRRING UP FEARS – WRITING A LETTER TO THE MINISTER SUGGESTING HE MAKE MORE “SENSIBLE” CLIMATE SUGGESTIONS. 

HOWEVER – WISSING DEFENDED HIS STANCE ON PUBLIC RADIO – SAYING “I TOLD THE CITIZENS THE TRUTH. YOU CAN ONLY SAVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF POLLUTION BY GIVING UP CARS AND TRUCKS. THOSE LIKE GREENPEACE AND THE GREENS, WHO ALWAYS SAY THAT THE CLIMATE PROTECTION LAW MUST REMAIN AS IT IS, MAY NOW BE FRIGHTENED BY THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR POLICIES.”