The Guardian's take on Europe's green transformation: moving into the slow lane?

An editorial in the Guardian writes that "Germany's internal combustion engine defense is a disastrous signal in the race to meet net zero targets". It begins: “Germany's pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) has long been an uncompromising defender of Europe's largest domestic car industry. A few years ago, she campaigned against proposals to introduce a national speed limit on motorways, which would help reduce CO2 emissions in Germany. However, as a coalition partner in the government led by Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats, he is taking environmental obstructionism to a new level. The FDP is the driving force behind German opposition to Brussels' plans to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035. Until this month, the date was seen as a done deal and is an important pillar of the EU's strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. But Germany is now insisting that the European Commission offer an exemption and allow carmakers to continue making these engines if they find a way to supply carbon-neutral "e-fuels" to power them. The highly technical nature of this debate may obscure its dangerous implications for Europe's climate ambitions.” The editorial concludes: “Given its wealth and industrial history, Europe bears a special responsibility in the fight to limit global warming. Hard times have undoubtedly made the policy of meeting net-zero emissions commitments more difficult and given an opportunity, especially to the populist right. But the response cannot be to delay and weaken the necessary measures in the hope that some new technology will emerge to solve the problem, Mr. Micawber-style. As a cold political wind begins to blow, there is an urgent need to defend the pace and necessity of Europe's ecological transformation." A Times editorial focusing on China-Russia relations states that "The West must find new ways to win the trust of developing countries, and also through practical assistance in areas such as medicine, green technologies and development financing".

Meanwhile, in other comments, the Daily Mail devotes an entire page to climate skeptic Ross Clark (who is promoting a new book on the subject) to attack the "hysterical language" of the new IPCC report. The Financial Times has a 'big read' titled: 'Solar power: Europe tries to get out of China's shadow'. Finally, Bloomberg published an investigation with the headline: "Consumers foot the bill for traders 'manipulating' UK energy market". The article begins as follows: “Traders from firms including Vitol's VPI, Uniper SE and SSE Plc have frequently announced that they will reduce power capacity ahead of peak evening periods – sometimes with only a few hours' notice. At the same time, they offered power from their plants in a special secondary market where they charged higher prices to cover the shortfalls they helped create... In response to detailed questions, most of the firms featured in this article provided brief statements saying they were in compliance.”

Editorial, The Guardian, Carbon Brief