Several CDU environmental ministers at the federal state level have voiced reservations regarding Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider’s (SPD) proposal to amend the Basic Law concerning climate policy, ahead of an upcoming cabinet consultation.
Georg-Ludwig von Breitenbuch, the environmental minister for Saxony, stated to the “Zeit” that he rejects enshrining climate protection as a national goal in the Basic Law, arguing that such provisions would overburden the constitution. He contended that effective measures for climate adaptation in Germany could already be implemented if there was the necessary political will to consistently finance and execute existing instruments.
Von Breitenbuch sharply criticized Schneider, expressing surprise and irritation at the proposal. He pointed out that the coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and the SPD stipulated an examination mandate, not a unilateral announcement, to present an incomplete proposal for amending the Basic Law in the second half of 2026. He accused Schneider of unilaterally declaring this examination mandate complete, stating this was neither a cooperative approach with the states-who are equal partners in this process-nor a respectful demeanor toward a coalition partner.
Christine Schneider, the minister for agriculture and environment in Rhineland-Palatinate, took a skeptical view. She emphasized that any change to the Basic Law must be carefully reviewed, including fiscally, and compared against other legal possibilities. According to her remarks to the “Zeit”, merely adding the issue as a shared federal task would not initially change the societal obligation. Instead, she stressed the importance of accelerating approval processes, as envisioned by the federal government’s Infrastructure Future Act.
The Hessian Ministry of Environment did not explicitly reject Schneider’s initiative. Instead, the agency noted that they would contribute constructively to consultations on climate adaptation and potential shared solutions within the framework of the Environmental Ministers Conference and its associated working groups. The key, they stated, is ensuring that climate protection and adaptation are implemented locally through specific and effective measures.
The Federal Cabinet plans to address Schneider’s proposal for a Basic Law amendment during the consultation beginning Tuesday. However, adopting such a constitutional change would require two-thirds majorities in both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil and other SPD federal ministers have, on the other hand, supported the proposal.
