Environmental and social associations and the ver.di union have called for special federal government funds to be used specifically for future investment and ecological transformation. “It will now be decided whether this special fund truly improves our lives and our future,” the Climate Alliance said. The alliance criticized current policies Draft budget government for 2026. This “ignores the challenges of the times,” said a statement from the association.
In a joint statement, the Climate Alliance and ver.di as well as social association Awo and environmental association WWF Germany called on the government factions to use the federal government’s special fund of 500 billion euros for infrastructure and climate neutrality specifically for future investments. According to the Union plan and SPD On the other hand, “billions of dollars should continue to flow to fossil projects, while there is no money for climate protection, buses and trains or renovation of social facilities,” the paper said.
“The funds must go where they provide the greatest benefits: functioning, climate-friendly infrastructure, clean domestic energy, reliable buses and trains, and protection of communities most impacted by the climate crisis,” said Climate Alliance Managing Director Stefanie Langkamp. The Union and the SPD should use money from the special fund “to begin the transition away from fossil structures and lay the foundations for future prosperity,” Langenkamp continued.
“Climate policy is wrong and legally questionable”
WWF climate expert Viviane Raddatz criticized the coalition for wanting to “continue to finance fossil projects such as LNG terminals, refineries or gas infrastructure” through the special fund. This is “wrong in terms of climate policy and, according to many experts, also legally questionable” because the spending would conflict with climate neutrality goals, set out in the special fund itself, Raddatz said.
The deputy head of the ver.di union, Christine Behle, pointed out shortcomings in public transport. Most importantly, additional funding is needed for city governments. “Every euro invested in buses, regional trains and trams strengthens the economy, creates good jobs and gets people to their destinations reliably,” said Behle.
The president of the Awo Federal Association, Michael Groß, criticized the “huge backlog of renovations” in the social sector. Groß said thousands of nursing homes, day care centers and other nonprofit institutions do not have the funds necessary to renovate their buildings in a climate-neutral way. He demands that more than half of child care centers alone must be renovated in terms of energy and with a view to protecting the climate.
The background to the association’s declaration is a report from those involved regarding funding for more climate protection and the expansion of local public transport as well as a backlog of renovations in the area of social infrastructure.
