Climate Changed

Merkel Flip-Flops on Solar, Wind Targets in Climate-Action Plan

  • Berlin coalition drawing up sweeping bill to cut CO2 by 2030
  • Drafts show major reshuffling of solar and wind targets

Angela Merkel

Photographer: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/Bloomberg
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Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition is wavering on whether to focus on wind or solar power over the next decade to help Germany cut carbon emissions.

Merkel’s ruling bloc in Berlin is fine-tuning plans aired last month to reduce CO2 output by 2030 after it barely budged in recent years. While bumping up green electricity’s share in the power mix is central to achieving the goal, successive drafts of a new climate bill show the coalition still undecided over whether to put wind or solar power in the driving seat.