Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Passes Climate Compatibility Act After More Than Four Years of Debate

The decision marks the provisional end of a legislative process that was announced back in 2021 with the coalition agreement of the then red-red state government. At the time, Minister President Manuela Schwesig (SPD) had announced a climate protection law with the aim of making Mecklenburg-Vorpommern climate-neutral by 2040: "What will be new is that we are initiating a climate protection law with the goal that Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will be climate-neutral in 2040." In the course of the deliberations, however, the target date was moved to 2045, which now aligns with the federal government's target year.

The title of the project was also changed during the parliamentary process. The "Climate Protection Law" became the "Climate Compatibility Act." Furthermore, the text now adopted stipulates that the state "advocates for a stop" to peat soil drainage, instead of making such a stop binding, as in the original draft. According to information from the process, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has more than 160,000 hectares of peat soils; according to environmental associations, drained areas emit around six million tons of greenhouse gases per year and, according to the BUND, are the largest single source of climate-damaging gases in the state.

From Climate Protection to Climate Compatibility Law

Specifically, the state commits to reducing its own CO2 emissions by 26 percent by 2030 compared to the base year 2018. By 2045, the state is to become largely greenhouse gas neutral "step by step." The state administration itself aims to operate climate-neutrally as early as 2030. A climate protection plan, which was originally supposed to be adopted as early as 2026, will likely be prepared in a preliminary version only after the state elections this year, according to information from the process, and is to come into force from 2028 after a citizen participation process.

Criticism from Environmental Associations and the Opposition

Environment Minister Backhaus justified the weakened peat regulation by referring to the desire for a policy in agreement with those affected. He stated that they are working "not with a sledgehammer, but at eye level and with the people of this country." Climate protection can only succeed together; for rewetting, he relies on incentives through EU and federal funding programs so that farmers refrain from further drainage. At the same time, Backhaus warned that the global 1.5-degree target is "no longer achievable"; the Baltic Sea's sea level will rise by 84 centimeters by 2100.

SPD parliamentary group leader Julian Barlen emphasized that the law codifies climate protection that the state is already pursuing with afforestation programs and solar parks on peat soils. Climate protection can "only succeed with the people and not with a sledgehammer." Member of the Left Party, Torsten Koplin, said that the state is protecting "the climate within its capabilities"; he understands that many find the pace too slow given the dramatic situation, but that action must be taken together with society. Daniel Trepsdorf (Die Linke) called the law "certainly not perfect," but a start that opens up a clear path.

Criticism came from several directions. BUND climate expert Susanne Schumacher stated that for "truly effective climate protection," it is essential that "the deleted ban on peatland drainage from 2045 onwards be reintroduced"; rewetting is "the largest and most effective climate protection measure in the state." The BUND demands that the climate protection plan be completed by August. The Green Party's parliamentary group leader Constanze Oehlrich said: "You can't just set goals, you also have to say how the goals are to be achieved," and described the law as too late and unambitious. Green Party member Harald Terpe called it a "climate incompatibility law." The Greens insist on the target year 2040 for climate neutrality.

CDU and AfD also reject the initiative. CDU parliamentary group leader Daniel Peters considers the law to be superfluous and sees constitutional risks due to possible infringements on property rights; the parliamentary group reserves the right to legal review. FDP member David Wulff described the new law as unnecessary. The AfD parliamentary group wants to fundamentally abolish the climate law, according to deputy parliamentary group leader Enrico Schult, and pointed to the small global impact of a federal state: "Of course, we have to see how we take climate protection into account, indeed, but what impact does Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have on the world climate?" AfD member Thore Stein spoke of more bureaucracy, more costs, and more "state paternalism."

The Farmers' Association and the Agriculture Committee had made it clear in a hearing that peatland renaturation measures "could only be successfully implemented if they were voluntary and financed long-term." Observers attribute the duration of the process to broad public participation, as well as resistance from business and the public, and concerns about financial burdens.