Government crisis: Is the whole of Germany threatened with a weekend driving ban?
The government is seething once again. This time it's about the Climate Protection Act, which is still stuck in parliament. Transport Minister Volker Wissing has set the coalition partners a deadline and is threatening nationwide driving bans if they fail to meet it. The Greens have yet to adopt a clear position on this.
A draft bill presented by the Ministry of Transport envisages that there will no longer be precise climate protection targets for individual sectors in future. Instead, the total amount of greenhouse gases saved is to serve as a benchmark. If the law does not come into force by 15 July 2024, an "immediate action programme" would have to be launched to achieve the targets, according to Wissing.
Wissing is of the opinion that a reduction in traffic volume is only possible through restrictive measures such as nationwide and indefinite driving bans on Saturdays and Sundays. This would be difficult to communicate to the population.
The Greens rejected Wissing's comments. Deputy Green Party leader Julia Verlinden said that Wissing simply had to present a climate protection programme containing sensible proposals for more climate protection in the transport sector.
The discussions surrounding the Climate Protection Act and the associated measures are controversial. The threat of nationwide driving bans appears to be used as a means of exerting pressure to speed up the adoption of the law.
The implementation of the measures proposed by Wissing would undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences for the population. A driving ban on Saturdays and Sundays would not only significantly restrict individual mobility, but would also have a negative impact on the economy. However, the question is to what extent such radical measures can actually contribute to achieving the climate targets or whether they merely serve as a threatening backdrop.
The road to effective climate protection is rocky and characterised by different interests. Achieving the targets requires that the political players are able to find a consensus that both fulfils the climate protection targets and does not place an undue burden on the population and the economy.
Changes are necessary in order to achieve the climate targets. However, they must be implemented in a way that is acceptable to everyone involved. Unilateral and drastic measures could have the opposite effect and lead to a rejection of the necessary climate protection measures. A balanced and sustainable path must therefore be found.