Ending environmentally harmful subsidies and investments

What's the problem?

According to the Federal Environment Agency, in 2012, Germany allowed environmentally harmful → subsidies of at least 57 billion euros at Federal level, especially in the energy industry, transport sector and agriculture (Federal Environment Agency 2016). This thwarts climate-protection policy measures and undermines international agreements.

What's the measure?

• Stopping all public → investment in and subsidies for motorised individual and air transport, military technology and fossil fuels
• Stopping of all environmentally harmful investments in and subsidies for industrial agriculture, animal products, mining, ...

How can the implementation look like?

• All environmentally harmful subsidies are to be dismantled within the framework of an ambitious timetable and redirected into measures for socio-ecological transformation. In doing so, attention must be paid to ensuring that the transformation is socially equitable .
• Shifting the freed-up public funds to clean production methods. Use of the money thus saved for the improvement of rural and urban public space, the expansion of public transport and the development of small decentralised renewable energies under local democratic control.

How can climate change be counteracted and how can economic conditions be created that support effective climate protection measures?

This measure ensures that climate-damaging business models and production methods are made more difficult and enables investments in climate-friendly production methods

How quickly can the measure be implemented?

Step by step from now on.

References to other measures

The measure supports other measures in the areas of mobility justice, energy democracy and fair agriculture, food sovereignty and forest use. Conversely, measures of general interest are needed to prevent social injustice.

Further literature and sources