Germany Loosens Its Carbon Emission Restrictions

Though the country has plans to cut the emissions of some industries by 3.4%, it is at the same time allowing many new polluting industries to delay entering an emission credit program until 2022. All new power plants, including those powered by highly-polluting coal, are exempted from the program which requires other industries to limit their emissions or face fines and sanctions.

"The conservative leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, and her Social Democratic coalition partners agreed to cut the emissions limit by nearly 3.4 percent, but at the same time the cabinet has given an exemption to all new power plants, including coal, one of the worst industrial pollutants."

"By allowing the power industry to opt out until 2022 before joining a program in which companies are given permits for emitting up to a certain amount of carbon dioxide and giving the permits free of charge, critics said the Merkel government was undermining EU efforts to combat climate change."