A referendum in Berlin on Sunday that would have bound the city to strive to be climate neutral by 2030 has failed, the city’s mayor Franziska Giffey said in a statement. The measure would have forced the new conservative local government to invest heavily in renewable energy, building efficiency and public transport. Had it passed, Berlin would have been one of the few major European cities with a legally binding goal to become carbon neutral in seven years. The Associated Press reported:
The Berlin TV Tower stands out in the center of the German capital Berlin, Friday, March 24, 2023. Voters in Berlin go to the polls this weekend to decide on a proposal that would force the city government to drastically ramp up the German capital’s climate goals. Sunday’s referendum, which has attracted considerable financial support from U.S.-based philanthropists, calls for Berlin to become climate neutral by 2030, meaning that within less than eight years the city would not be allowed to contribute further to global warming. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
After about 98% of the votes had been counted, the supporters of the proposal were just ahead of the opponents of such a change in the law, according to an announcement by the city-state’s election administration. However, that result only met one requirement for a successful proposal. The second requirement, a quorum of at least 25% of all eligible voters, was not met, dpa reported.
At the start of the “Berlin Climate Aid” concert, only a few people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin Saturday, March 25, 2023. The organizers expects 35,000 participants. Voters in Berlin go to the polls this weekend to decide on a proposal that would force the city government to drastically ramp up the German capital’s climate goals. Sunday’s referendum, which has attracted considerable financial support from U.S.-based philanthropists, calls for Berlin to become climate neutral by 2030. (Paul Zinken/dpa via AP)
Shortly before the end of the count, there were around 423,000 votes in favor and around 405,000 votes against. The quorum for a successful referendum would have been around 608,000 votes in favor of the proposal.
The referendum had called for Berlin to become climate neutral by 2030. The target meant that in less than eight years, the city would no longer be allowed to contribute further to global warming.
Traffic along Bismarkstrasse street in the direction of the city center of the German capital Berlin, Thursday, March 23, 2023. Voters in Berlin go to the polls this weekend to decide on a proposal that would force the city government to drastically ramp up the German capital’s climate goals. Sunday’s referendum, which has attracted considerable financial support from U.S.-based philanthropists, calls for Berlin to become climate neutral by 2030, meaning that within less than eight years the city would not be allowed to contribute further to global warming. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
An existing law sets the deadline for achieving that goal at 2045, which is also Germany’s national target.
A grassroots group that had initiated the proposal had argued that Berlin’s current target isn’t in line with the 2015 Paris climate accord, which aims to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with the pre-industrial average.
At the start of the “Berlin Climate Aid” concert, only a few people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin Saturday, March 25, 2023. The organizers expects 35,000 participants. Voters in Berlin go to the polls this weekend to decide on a proposal that would force the city government to drastically ramp up the German capital’s climate goals. Sunday’s referendum, which has attracted considerable financial support from U.S.-based philanthropists, calls for Berlin to become climate neutral by 2030. (Paul Zinken/dpa via AP)
The center-right Christian Democratic Union, which won a recent local election in the capital and is likely to lead its new government, had opposed the earlier target.
