Peter Altmaier, and the energy revolution: Not in the mood to Ökoverbände

The Minister of economy has met in 2019, only four Times officially, with environmental associations. The more time he spent with the energy lobby. A Meeting

Peter Altmaier, and the energy revolution: Not in the mood to Ökoverbände

The Minister of economy has met in 2019, only four Times officially, with environmental associations. The more time he spent with the energy lobby.

A Meeting which does not appear in the statistics: Peter Altmaier, head of the climate activists in Bremen, Germany photo: dpa/Sina Schuldt

BERLIN taz | It is the dominant energy policy issue in recent years, with the coal exit, to the economic and environmental associations of 2018 in what is called the coal Commission argued, and the Ministry of economy in 2019 should be pour into the shape of a Law. However, the level of energy policy, the competent Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) used during this time appear to be a particularly close contact to the actors involved. This is evident from the reply of the Ministry to a request of the Greens, which is the taz.

especially the classic environmental organizations such as BUND, Nabu or Greenpeace had Stated, therefore, hardly any appointments to the Minister: between January 2019 and February 2020, all four Meet. Five other talks, there was the statement, according to representatives of the young movement Fridays for the Future.

Significantly more dates are recorded for this period with the representatives of the energy industry: a Total of 16 Times Altmaier met energy companies, like RWE, Eon, and Uniper, and industry associations. Very often it is represented with 7 dates, the German Association of energy and water industries (BDEW), in which, besides the large companies, also companies in the Renewable industry are not a member. Their own Association, the BEE, had only a single appointment to the Minister.

show The line-up, "where Altmaiers priorities are," commented the Green-climate-politician, Lisa Badum. "The Minister snuggles to sleep with all the large coal operators and gives very little to the Expansion of renewable energies," she said of the taz. That was get the energy economy, four times as many dates, such as the environmental associations "scandalous". Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace Executive Director and a member of the coal Commission, confirmed the low number of Meetings. "Given the current climate crisis, I would have expected more the ear of the Minister Altmaier for a much faster phase-out of coal," he said.

Altmaier, said on enquiry, he could not understand the criticism of too little contact with the environmental associations. "I can't remember ever having a request for a meeting rejected," he told the taz. In addition it was already in the year preceding the surveyed period, while the coal Commission was meeting, a lively exchange woks. The Ministry of economy informed, moreover, that the list contained those conversations that gave it spontaneously, on the edge of events.

Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for the economy

"I can't remember ever having a conversation request

in view of the intensive negotiations that have taken place in the last few months, with the operators of coal-fired power plants about the exit plan also seems to be the number of direct calls to the Minister with corporations in the crucial weeks before the agreement in mid-January, low rejected": In December, for example, only a single Gepsräch Altmaiers is recorded with operators of coal-fired power plants, in January, none at all. Altmaier said: "The negotiations are predominantly from the competent Secretary of state, the in close exchange with with stand."

Date Of Update: 27 February 2020, 19:00
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