DThe German Bundestag voted for the Building Energy Act on Thursday. A total of 679 members of parliament voted, with 399 in favor of the bill, 275 against it, and five abstentions.
The debate in the Bundestag about the Building Energy Act reflected the intensity of the societal discussion. Accusations from the opposition about ignoring amendment requests and leaving citizens financially alone were met with speeches that highlighted the significance of the decision for a future heat supply based on renewable energies.
CSU-Landesgruppenchef Alexander Dobrindt accused the federal government of frightening citizens and transferring financial risks to them through a funding cap. He emphasized that a majority wants to contribute to climate protection but does not want to be financially overwhelmed. He criticized the law, stating that it impoverishes people. According to Dobrindt, protests reflect fear rather than uncertainty. He described the heating law as the pinnacle of disrespect towards citizens.
Previous governments have failed in this regard.
Zuvor hatte die Grünen-Fraktionsvorsitzende deutlich gemacht, das Heizungsgesetz sei ein wichtiger Baustein, um die Lebensgrundlagen auf der Erde zu bewahren. „Geben Sie sich einen Ruck und stimmen Sie doch noch zu“, rief sie den Kritikern des Gesetzes zu. Indes sei die Debatte vor der Gesetzgebung nicht optimal verlaufen. „Das werden wir künftig besser machen“, versprach sie.
Auch ihre Kollegen der Ampelfraktionen, Matthias Miersch (SPD-Fraktionsvize) und Christian Dürr (FDP-Fraktionschef), lobten die Änderungen, die nach einem hart umkämpften Kompromiss am Gesetz vorgenommen wurden. Ein wichtiger Bestandteil war die Einbeziehung kommunaler Wärmekonzepte. Vorgängerregierungen seien daran gescheitert, das Pariser Klimaabkommen einzuhalten. „Diese Koalition will die Klimaschutzziele erreichen mit marktwirtschaftlichen Instrumenten“, sagte Dürr.
Die Union äußert Kritik an der unzureichenden Beratung.
The main criticism of the Union faction was focused on the financial burdens and lack of consultations. The CDU representative Thomas Heilmann intervened twice with questions, as he had successfully filed an urgent motion against the Building Energy Act before the Federal Constitutional Court. Heilmann, who is also the chairman of the Climate Union, referred to a plan with 90 points from his faction, which, however, had not been given the opportunity to be discussed in parliamentary deliberations. „Please do not block this,“ Heilmann urged.
An den Einlassungen der AfD-Fraktion, die Klimaschutzziele (die sie inhaltlich ablehnt) durch ein Weiterlaufen von Atomkraftwerken als durch ein Heizungsgesetz erreicht hätte, fiel eine Formulierung von Marc Bernhard, dem baupolitischen Sprecher, auf. Das Gesetz sei ein „Raubzug gegen das eigene Volk“.
Miersch and Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck opposed the Union’s stance on setting stronger incentives for the conversion of heating systems with CO2 prices. Due to the lack of action taken in the past for climate protection, a significant increase in prices is now needed. Habeck emphasized that this would disrupt social harmony in Germany. The traffic light coalition government has inherited a climate protection gap. He criticized that the sums will continue to grow because they are doing nothing.
Habeck defended the heating law and addressed the Union, saying: „I believe it is justified to address this law with concrete and concerned questions. However, what should not be tolerated is to deceive people – to say that we set goals but do nothing to achieve them.“ The law provides legal certainty, protects consumers from high energy prices, and ensures that municipalities and associations are included. It ensures social balance. „It is a good law.“