Klingbeil's savings plans: is the climate protection neglected?

Klingbeil's savings plans: is the climate protection neglected?

Federal Minister of Finance Lars Klingbeil (SPD) is currently facing increasing pressure to make savings from the special fund for infrastructure and climate protection. This special fund has a volume of 500 billion euros and is aimed at renovating the infrastructure and reaching climate neutrality by 2045. A crucial aspect that is under discussion is that at least 100 billion euros of it should be assigned to the climate and transformation fund (KTF) in order to actively support climate protection. However, critics express concerns that funds from the KTF could possibly be reversed to cover other budget gaps - a situation that was already indicated by an internal letter from the Ministry of Finance. op-online.de

The Federal Constitutional Court made it clear in 2021 that the state is obliged to promote climate protection. This could mean that a rededication of the funds from the KTF could raise constitutional problems, as the lawyer Roda Veheyen notes. The Greens also warn of a possible breach of the word by the government and fear that the estimated funds will not flow into future investments as planned.

financing and use of the funds

The total amount of 500 billion euros in the special fund is planned for a period of 12 years, of which 100 billion euros are to be assigned to the KTF for climate protection and the switch to a climate -neutral economy. Climate protection investments in the KTF include the energetic renovation of buildings, the expansion of renewable energies and the decarbonization of industry. However, it should be noted that the initiative for reducing electricity prices cannot be recognized as an investment in climate protection. All expenditure from the special fund must be made so-called "additionally", which prohibits the rededication of funds for other expenses.

The KTF itself is managed as part of the federal budget and has been brought into the parliamentary procedure. Program-based expenses of around 57.6 billion euros are planned for 2024, which is 21.6 billion euros above the target expenses of the previous year. The funding priorities for 2024 include:

long -term perspectives and challenges

experts fear that an uncertain distribution of funds could endanger the government's credibility and its climate goals. A review of the approval and use of the funds is therefore essential to ensure that the original purposes of the special fund are observed and no legal consequences and political arguments. Climate protection investments and the commitment to achieve climate neutrality are also underpinned by the KfW climate-agometer, which has been used as a representative database for the investment behavior of German companies for climate protection and energy transition since 2022. kfw.de

Overall, there is the greatest need for long -term, reliable financing in the area of ​​climate protection in order not to endanger the defined climate goals and to perceive responsibility for future generations.