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German Greens Chief Slams Coalition for Climate 'Hypocrisy' After UN Summit

08:37 PM, 11/23/2025
German Greens Chief Slams Coalition for Climate 'Hypocrisy' After UN Summit

Felix Banaszak, head of Germany's Green Party, accused the ruling coalition of hypocrisy after the UN climate summit in Belém ended without a binding fossil-fuel exit plan. He said domestic moves—backing gas boilers, delaying lignite phase-outs and undercutting electric-vehicle messaging—erode Germany's credibility. Delegates agreed only a voluntary acceleration initiative, while hosts announced a new rainforest protection fund. Banaszak contrasted German ministers' rainforest pledges with actions that weaken anti-deforestation rules.

Felix Banaszak, leader of Germany's Green Party, sharply criticized the governing coalition after the UN Climate Conference in Belém concluded without a binding roadmap to phase out fossil fuels. He said the government's mixed domestic policies have weakened Germany's credibility when pressing other countries to increase climate ambition.

‘If the government of Europe’s largest economy reopens debates about climate protection week after week since taking office, it can hardly urge greater ambition from others,’ Banaszak said.

Banaszak pointed to several domestic decisions he says undermine Germany's negotiating position: support for gas boilers, negative messaging about electric vehicles, and plans to keep lignite-fired power plants operating for nearly another 15 years. He argued these choices make it difficult for Berlin to press other nations seriously on ending dependence on oil, coal and gas.

Delegates from about 200 countries meeting in Belém failed to agree a binding plan to phase out fossil fuels and instead adopted a voluntary initiative intended to accelerate national climate efforts. Conference hosts did, however, announce plans for a new fund aimed at protecting tropical rainforests.

Banaszak highlighted what he called a glaring contradiction in Berlin: Environment Minister Carsten Schneider was prepared to pledge German funds for the rainforest mechanism while Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer publicly celebrated delaying and watering down an EU deforestation directive. The Green leader said the episode exposed ‘the entire hypocrisy of the Merz government.’

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