German state adopts pioneering climate bill, which minister says forms "energy strategy of future"

(Nanowerk News) German state North Rhine-Westphalia, a member of The Climate Group, has become the first state in Germany to adopt a pioneering climate bill with binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
With this law, the state is now legally committed to reducing its emissions by 25% by 2020 and by at least 80% by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.
The concrete steps towards achieving these climate goals will be set up on an accompanying roadmap that is currently being developed in a broad stakeholder consultation process, involving over 160 representatives from all parts of society -- and will likewise be adopted in Parliament.
This Climate Protection Plan will be presented for the first time in 2013 and then reviewed every five years.
An expert Advisory Council has been put in place to ensure compliance with the climate protection goals, and to advise on the development of the Climate Protection Plan.
Johannes Remmel, Climate Minister, North Rhine-Westphalia said: "This Climate Change Bill is one of the most important projects of the coalition agreement. The law is a milestone for climate protection and provides the basis for the energy strategy of the future. […] ecology and economy are not mutually exclusive. Only together we will be successful.”
“The creation of the Climate Protection Plan is one of the most comprehensive and largest consultation processes in the German climate and energy policy. This differentiates us from the backroom politics of the federal government.”
Luc Bas, Director of European Programs and International States and Regions, The Climate Group said: “Setting a 25% domestic GHG reduction target by law in such an energy intensive, densely populated and industrialized region is clearly one of the great examples of the leadership shown by sub-national governments that make up The Climate Group’s States and Regions Alliance. We are honored to count North Rhine-Westphalia as an active member that has fully understood that the only sustainable economy is a low carbon one.”
Source: The Clean Revolution