Berlin: Climate referendum fails - What now?

More ambitious climate targets for the capital - and thus the impetus for green developments throughout Germany. This had prompted the "Klimaneustart" alliance and numerous environmental activists to call on all Berliners to vote in a referendum - which could change the course of the city's climate policy. Signatures were collected for four months to get the climate referendum on its way. But now, the day after the vote, the petition seems to have come to an end. It fell short of the number of votes needed for the proposed change in the law.  

Only 50.9 per cent of the electorate voted yes on Sunday, according to the state election administration. This, it said, was 442,210 votes against the 423,418 No votes cast by 48.7 per cent of the electorate. A fairly balanced result, but one that cannot provide the necessary basis for the amendment to the law proposed by the referendum. With the vote, the alliance wanted to achieve an amendment to the Land Energy Transition Act, namely. This would commit Berlin to becoming climate-neutral by 2030 - and not by 2045, as previously envisaged. However, in order to adopt stricter climate targets, at least 25 per cent of eligible voters would have had to vote in favour - and around 608,000 votes in favour would have been required.  

The vote was therefore still far from the target. It was surprising for many supporters of the initiative that the number of yes and no votes was more or less equal in the end. Increasingly, it has become clear to many that achieving climate neutrality as quickly as possible is actually in everyone's interest. Even before the vote, however, it was disputed whether Berlin could have achieved this goal as early as 2030. It was not the necessity, but the feasibility and implementation potential of the expected plans that was mainly doubted. The Berlin Senate itself rated the plans of an earlier entry into the climate-neutral phase as unrealistic. 

At the same time, however, there are numerous cities and municipalities - in Germany as well as across Europe - that are willing to achieve their climate neutrality targets before 2030. For the cities, this would therefore mean intervening at high speed with more comprehensive measures that would enable the balance between carbon emissions and uptake for a net zero emissions balance. For this to happen, total climate-damaging emissions would have to be significantly reduced. There is talk of a necessary reduction in emissions of about 95 per cent compared to 1990 in the transport sector, as well as in the energy and industrial sectors, for example. The capital is not unaffected by this.

Even though the referendum failed - reminds governing mayor Giffey - Berlin is still obliged under the Paris climate protection agreement to significantly reduce its emissions and meet the agreed climate targets. "We are working to ensure that Berlin becomes a climate-neutral city as quickly as possible before 2045," Giffey continues. The capital had to take concrete and targeted action now in order to be able to take the right steps in terms of climate policy, regardless of the results of the referendum.  

Expanded and stricter driving bans and environmental zone regulations, for example to limit the use of climate-damaging engines, are considered among the most successful instruments for achieving the zero emissions balance. However, a 360-degree change must take place in order to achieve the necessary green transformation. What will be Berlin's next step towards a greener future?