by James Murphy
The New American

Germany’s capital Berlin is set to consider a sweeping revision to its existing local environmental laws. If passed on March 26, the changes to Berlin’s existing Climate Protection and Energy Transition Act passed in 2021 which called for the German city to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

If passed, the proposed revision to the current law would rapidly accelerate that already-dubious goal of carbon neutrality by 2045 to the year 2030. It would also empower the city to appoint an unelected “Climate Protection Council” to monitor the city’s progress toward that goal. The council would consist of selected (not elected) citizens of Berlin to meet with experts and choose measures going forward on how to meet their ambitious goals.

The referendum is binding and, if passed, would become law and the current nebulous goals of the previous law would become obligations that the city must meet or run afoul of the law.

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