German Greens Want Climate Ministry Veto Powers

Germany's Greens made setting up a climate ministry with veto powers a key plank of their election platform as they presented the party's program on climate change in a nature conservation area to the north of Berlin earlier in the week, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported.

Photo Insert: Annalena Baerbock, the Greens' candidate for chancellor

As the country gears up for elections in September, Annalena Baerbock, the party's candidate for chancellor, and party co-leader Robert Habeck, outlined a program that places the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement at the focus.

The party, currently second in the polls on around 20 percent support, aims to accelerate energy generation from renewables and bring forward the exit from coal-fired power stations to 2030 from 2038 currently proposed.

Investment in rail, commuter public transport, and cycling will be increased as early as the 2022 budget under the plans, entitled the "Immediate Program" and contained in a seven-page document.

"So as not to lose any time, we aim to introduce immediately a comprehensive program with concrete legislative initiatives that will unleash a new dynamism, achieve rapid savings and set major objectives," the program says.

WEEKLY FEATURE : PAL READY TO SOAR WITH PANDEMIC