BERLIN (Dow Jones)–The Parittische Gesamtverband and the Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) have criticized the federal government’s planned abolition of the EEG levy as “budgetary unreasonable, environmentally counterproductive and socially unbalanced”. Instead, both associations called for targeted immediate measures to support people with low incomes in view of the high energy prices. The announced introduction of a per capita repayment for high energy costs in the form of climate money or a climate premium must also be accelerated.
“The federal government is rightly thinking of relieving the dramatic rise in energy prices,” said Ulrich Schneider, general manager of the Parittisches Gesamtverband. “But abolishing the EEG surcharge does not reach those who need it most.” Instead, they tear a big hole in the federal budget. In view of the many important projects of the federal government, which are subject to financing, the abolition is irresponsible in terms of budgetary policy. “This also applies to lowering taxes in other areas, which Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is bringing into play,” he said.
A per capita redistribution of the full revenue from CO2 pricing is “an ecologically effective and socio-politically urgently needed instrument,” both associations declared. This is the only way to combine ecological effectiveness with social balance. The federal government must also promote the environmentally friendly and decentralized expansion of renewable energies.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 01, 2022 07:51 ET (12:51 GMT)