The Federal Government’s Expert Council has presented its test report. This confirms once again that the transport sector is missing its climate targets. But what is the consequence?
13 million tons of CO2 equivalents, as much as an estimated 8.7 million commuters consume per year: That is the amount by which the transport sector has missed its climate target. The Federal Government’s Expert Council confirmed the corresponding evaluation by the Federal Environment Agency on Monday. You can read more about the test report here.
According to the balance sheet, almost all other sectors are doing well. Only the building sector also missed its target. Overall, around 10 percent of emissions were saved compared to 2022.
But how can the transport sector be brought out of its misery? Science and interest groups have clear ideas here – an overview.
With the end of the sector targets, is the problem gone?
On Friday, Transport Minister Volker Wissing threatened driving bans for weekends. According to the FDP man, the climate target set can no longer be achieved any other way. On Monday, the current amendment to the Climate Protection Act cleared the hurdle in the Bundestag; it provides for the abolition of the so-called sector targets. The climate targets, which the transport sector was unable to meet three times in a row, will no longer exist in this form – because in the future they will be charged across the sectors as a flat rate. Environmental lawsuits will no longer be possible in the future – at least not in the individual sectors.
“The transport sector must now finally deliver more consistent climate protection,” says Marie-Luise-Wolff, an expert at the Alliance for Transformation, which advises the federal government on various climate issues, when asked by t-online. She believes the abolition of the sector targets is wrong.
Can driving bans be the solution?
Thorsten Koska does not consider a driving ban, as recently brought up by Wissing, to be effective. He is co-head of the “Mobility and Transport Policy” research area at the Wuppertal Institute. “Reducing traffic makes sense – but not through driving bans, but through a right to work from home and through spatial planning that enables short distances in cities and regions,” Koska told t-online.
The “Auto Club Europa e. V.” also rejects driving bans. away. In a statement that is available exclusively to t-online, the association writes: “Instead of sugarcoating, we need serious and sustainable measures that ensure lasting greater climate protection in the transport sector. One example of this is the introduction of a speed limit of 130 km/h on motorways. Electromobility must also be strengthened in Germany in order to accelerate its ramp-up.”
Expert Marie-Luise-Wolff is also in favor of a speed limit. According to the expert, consistent climate protection requires “first and foremost the introduction of the long overdue general speed limit on motorways”.
There is even a favorable voice on the speed limit coming directly from the expert council. “The speed limit also comes into consideration: it is wanted by the majority of the population and would at least take effect immediately,” said Felix Creutzig from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change. Creutzig is part of the expert advisory board for climate protection in mobility, which advises the Ministry of Transport.
Speed limit or even an end to the “car system”?
A more radical position, however, is represented by the “Ende Gelaende” campaign alliance, which primarily campaigns against coal-fired power generation and for renewable energies. “Suggestions such as a speed limit on German roads are nice to have (in German: quite good to have), but they fall far short. We say: the car system has to go,” said spokeswoman “Jule” when asked.
Even switching to electric cars would not change the “car system,” said the activist. That’s why people’s needs should come into focus during production. It should be decided democratically which vehicles would be needed for mobility and how they could be produced in a climate-friendly manner. “For the growth of the auto industry, ever larger SUVs will continue to be produced instead,” is the criticism.
How can emissions reduction work?
There is widespread agreement among scientists on this point that individual measures will not reduce emissions in the transport sector. “In order to achieve the climate goals in transport, various strategies must be combined with one another,” says research leader Koska, for example.
Creutzig’s expert council sees “the most effective combination of instruments for the 2030 goals” in a combination of CO2 taxes on the purchase of combustion engines and a bonus financed thereby for the purchase of electric cars. Creutzig also advocates an end to the company car tax privilege for combustion engines.
