Contents page 1 climate policy of the Federal government to court page 2 climate change, a massive human rights problem On a page to read

words of Warning from environmentalists, Appeals of EU politicians, the claims of Climate scientists: they have nothing. If in less than a week, the climate change conference begins in Poland’s Katowice, Germany in worse shape than ever. For the achievement of the Paris climate objectives little is done. The coal Commission will this year propose the Plan, such as the Coal phase-out in Germany. Several German cities have been forced by the courts, and driving bans for older diesel vehicles. And now a lawsuit before the Federal constitutional court against the Federal government, because of their “insufficient climate policy”.

An Alliance of the Federation for environment and nature conservation (BUND), the solar energy promotion Association Germany and several private plaintiffs has filed a lawsuit in Karlsruhe, Germany, submitted. You can see the basic rights to life, health and property through the climate policy of the Federal government at risk. Because not only the Grand coalition would be too little. You don’t show the will to reach the necessary climate goals, it is called by the applicants. Your goal is to achieve a limitation of global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees. The Federal government should implement appropriate measures. The court should put the government for a fixed period of time.

In the suit it means that the Federal government had spaces for democratic Decision-making. This is not allowed “by the Constitution, however, to set the physical foundations of human existence – and thus to undermine democracy”. Germany not only failed its own climate policy objectives and the EU’s climate targets for 2020, but not fighting enough for the objectives of the Paris climate conference, says of the applicants. In addition, the Federal government is obliged by the Constitution to “to base their policies on the current facts and not to the outdated – already a very dangerous Two degree limit in climate policy”.

Great promise, small loud excuses

in fact, had already formulated the Paris climate conference very much larger objectives: The global warming should be limited when possible to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial level, it was three years ago. Recently, the world has IPCC intergovernmental panel on climate change emphasizes both the urgency as well as the possibility that the goal can still be achieved.

The statement is the message of The intergovernmental panel on climate change, the message of The intergovernmental panel on climate change

clear: Only through “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented Changes in all areas of society”, it is still possible that the global temperature rise to 1.5 degree limit (compared to pre-industrial levels). It says So in the special report of the IPCC, which was presented at the beginning of October in South Korea in 2018. The 400-page work of 91 authors serves as a preparation for the UN climate change conference in December in Katowice, and it is “so politiknah like no other report before,” says Hans-Otto Pörtner, one of the leaders of working groups of the IPCC.

Although the current results show that a total of a little more carbon is emitted than previously thought, that the climate gives somewhat of a reprieve. This is for the IPCC but not a reason to relax, “but the condition for the 1.5-degree-to create a goal at all”. The climate conference in Paris had decided to a 2-degree target, but the stricter the brand as desirable, because then the consequences of climate change are still somewhat in the frame remained. Because the higher the temperatures rise, more frequent droughts, heavy rain and Flooding. The temperatures climb by two degrees, would the melting of the Arctic sea ice in summer often and there is no coral reef to survive. In the case of four degrees (which would be reached in the year 2100, if the resolutions of the Paris conference are not implemented) would be damaged, many of the habitats of humans and animals irreversibly, for example by the rising sea level. For an adaptation it would be too late. Therefore, the researchers increase the pressure: “The report shows that the 1.5-degree target technically feasible”, says Pörtner. “There is for the policy so no more excuse to say goodbye.” FRA