A faction within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is attempting to significantly soften the party’s climate targets, sparking internal debate and raising concerns about Germany’s commitment to climate action ahead of crucial elections. A joint motion, spearheaded by the party’s business and labor wings – the Mittelstandsunion (MIT) and the Christliche Arbeitnehmerschaft (CDA) – and set to be debated at the upcoming CDU federal party conference in Stuttgart, calls for a “flexibilization” of climate and energy policy mandates impacting industry, buildings and transportation.
The proposed changes, reported by Handelsblatt, prioritize the interests of businesses, consumers and broader social acceptance over the stringent goals currently enshrined in German climate legislation. Critically, the motion advocates for a redefinition of “climate neutrality” deviating from the scientific understanding – as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – which requires achieving a state of zero net emissions through drastic reductions and active carbon removal.
Currently, Germany, along with 195 other nations under the Paris Agreement, is obligated to achieve a balance between emitted greenhouse gases and their removal by the latter half of this century. The Federal Constitutional Court has also affirmed a legal obligation for climate neutrality, drawing from Article 20a of the Basic Law.
However, the CDU’s MIT and CDA propose a revised target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by only 90% by 2050 at the EU level, linking further reductions to global emission trends. This represents a substantial compromise from the previous trajectory and significantly undermines the urgency scientists deem necessary to avert the worst impacts of climate change.
“Climate neutrality must mean: 90 percent fewer emissions by 2050 – viewed from a European perspective, embedded globally. Everything else depends on the world” asserted Gitta Connemann, chairwoman of the Mittelstandsunion, in comments to Handelsblatt.
Defenders of the motion argue that it represents a “course correction with measured steps” emphasizing EU harmonization over national unilateral action and championing technological openness over what they perceive as ideological rigidity. Dennis Radtke, chairman of the CDA, stated, “We must be honest: the current climate policy is on a collision course with the reality of many industrial companies”. This framing suggests a prioritization of economic concerns and competitiveness over environmental imperatives and potentially reflects pressure from industries struggling to adapt to existing regulatory burdens.
The timing of the proposal, just weeks before the Baden-Württemberg state election, injects a layer of strategic calculation into the debate. While CDU officials confirm the receipt of approximately 260 proposals from party affiliates, the prominence of this climate policy revision raises questions about the party’s overall direction and its willingness to uphold internationally agreed-upon commitments. Critics warn that such a move could damage Germany’s reputation as a climate leader and embolden those who advocate for weakening climate action globally. The debate at the Stuttgart conference will be pivotal in shaping the CDU’s future climate policy and its political standing.
