Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - An alliance of trade unions, associations and organizations in the southwest has sharply criticized Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann's doubts about the self-imposed climate goals in the transport sector and has demanded more funds for the traffic turnaround. "What's the use of the 49-euro ticket if the bus doesn't run!" said Romeo Edel, spokesman for the "Allianz Mobility Turnaround" on Monday. In particular, he criticized the fact that Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz (Greens) had cut the funds for the so-called mobility guarantee in the state budget for 2023/24.
The "Mobility Turnaround Alliance" was founded in 2020 and has represented climate protection positions in transport policy ever since. Those involved in the alliance include the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD), the Landesnaturschutzverband, the BUND and the Deutsche Umwelthilfe. "In view of the uncertain compliance with the 1.5-degree target, it is absolutely irresponsible to reverse gear when traffic is turned around," said another spokesman for the alliance, Jobst Kraus.
A few days ago, Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister expressed doubts that the ambitious climate targets in the transport sector could be achieved by 2030. "You can't do everything at once," said the head of government. Since you have to help finance the planned 49-euro ticket as a country, you have to make compromises elsewhere. In the budget for 2023/2024 there is no money for the mobility guarantee planned by Transport Minister Winfried Hermann (Greens) from 2026. For this purpose, public transport should actually be greatly expanded, especially in rural areas. The "mobility guarantee" planned in the coalition agreement stipulates that all places in the southwest should be accessible by public transport from 5 a.m. to midnight.
In order to achieve its climate goals, the country would have to reduce greenhouse gases in transport by 55 percent within seven years. Recently, however, CO2 emissions from traffic have even increased.
