After three days of negotiations, the leaders of the SPD, Greens and FDP have reached an agreement on several controversial issues. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil spoke on Tuesday evening in Berlin after deliberations by the coalition committee of a “bundle of measures” related to faster infrastructure expansion, adjustments to the climate protection law and the conversion of heating systems. Klingbeil, Green Party leader Ricarda Lang and FDP leader Christian Lindner expressed their satisfaction with the results.
Klingbeil said the plan was to “massively accelerate” the planning and approval process. The Climate Protection Act should be made more efficient in order to make it easier for Germany to become climate-neutral by 2045. Social justice should be ensured in the “heat transition” with the conversion of heating systems.
The coalition wants to tackle the installation of more climate-friendly heating systems. The building energy law should be reformed accordingly, said the Greens boss Lang. There should be a social balance. “One can say: No one is left in the lurch.” SPD leader Lars Klingbeil also emphasized the importance of social justice on this point. FDP leader Christian Lindner said the proposals should now be “finalized”. Money should come from the climate and transformation fund. Heating with fossil fuels should continue to be operated if they could be used with climate-friendly gases in the future. The whole thing is still in the works.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had promised a “good overall work” even before the consultations were completed and said: “It will have been worth it.” The traffic light coalition had struggled with interruptions for compromises on various issues since Sunday evening.
