How should Germany balance its climate goals with the need for energy from coal?

09 Oct 2019, 17:06 The German government cabinet has adopted the country’s first framework climate law and a detailed programme of measures to reach national and European targets for 2030. Against the backdrop of climate action protests by the Extinction Rebellion movement, ministers signed off on the package in Berlin. It lays out the details for the general plan Chancellor Angela Merkel’s grand coalition had decided on three weeks before. Energy industry association BDEW criticised the plans as “not thought through and not coherent with the objectives of the energy transition”, and environmental NGOs said they are insufficient to reach climate targets. [UPDATE adds Altmaier quote, graph on climate package] Use Teaser Image as container background on grid pages Julian Wettengel Climate & CO2 Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government cabinet has adopted Germany’s first Climate Action Law and a detailed programme of measures to reach 2030 climate targets in all sectors of the economy. With today’s decisions, the coalition of Merkel’s Conservatives (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) fleshed out the general package it presented with a long-anticipated decision on 20 September. The measures now have to be translated into legislation and decided by the federal parliament over the coming months and well into next year. “Today is an important day for climate action in Germany,” said environment minister Svenja Schulze at a press conference in Berlin. “However, it does not mark a final point, it’s a new beginning. I will only be satisfied when the greenhouse gas emissions actually go down sufficiently.” Economy minister Peter Altmaier called today's decisions "a central step towards reaching our climate targets without damaging the competitiveness of our industry." He said while the energy sector and industry were well on track, buildings and transport still had some catching up to do. The coalition’s climate package now consists of (A) the framework Climate Action Law, w