To approve a cross-party ‘Charter for climate neutrality and economic strength’ with the involvement of state and local governments, social organisations and business. It should contain emission reduction targets for every year from 2022 through 2050 in order to achieve intergenerational justice.
Reaching climate and economic targets becomes a priority, meaning the Charter will include a ‘climate guarantee’ and an ‘economic guarantee’ obliging the state to take all necessary actions to reach those.
A certain percentage of Germany’s gross domestic product should be available for climate protection and economic support each year.
Public entities on the federal, state and local level must reach climate neutrality already by 2035.
A public score board will be set up that shows progress in climate protection from companies and organisation, which is visible and accessible for everyone.
A market-based certification system will be created, to assess the climate neutrality of facilities.
Sectors and companies that are willing to do so can commit themselves to a faster transformation process using ‘carbon contracts for difference’. Doing so, will increase support and investment aid.
A ‘matching mechanism’ should help businesses to receive the amounts of renewable power, heat and green hydrogen needed to reach climate neutrality.
Climate targets should preferably be reached via market-based mechanisms. For that purpose, the European emission trading system and national CO2 price system will be reformed accordingly.
CO2 auctions could be introduced, at which companies and other interested parties could make concrete bids at which price they could reduce certain amounts of CO2.
Germany’s Renewable Energies Act (EEG) will be thoroughly reformed to adapt it to new EU targets and expanded into a European instrument to advance the energy transition in all of Europe.
The EEG levy (surcharge to finance the expansion of renewables in Germany) will be gradually lowered and stabilised.
A new label for ‘Clean Products Made in Germany’ should be created and marketed.

German energy minister proposes state-business-society climate pact