The spokespersons of the consultation group addressed the media on 15 September after eight months of deliberations, debates with experts and field visits. The sets of proposals were decided on by the members who also presented them to prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP), energy minister Claude Turmes (Green party) and environment minister Joëlle Welfring (Green party). The programme was run, with the state’s financial support, by the University of Luxembourg’s Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences.

“After the project was announced it created an enormous public interest and there were over 1,000 people who volunteered to become members of Klima-Biergerrot, which shows that the process was considered of great importance,” said Raphaël Kies, researcher at the University of Luxembourg and member of the Klima-Biergerrot’s Support Committee.

Agriculture, a main theme

The floods from July 2021 and the heatwaves experienced in 2022 were cited by a couple of the spokespersons as reasons for immediate action. The agriculture sector was singled out as one with a big environmental impact. One of the groups which presented their ideas to the press suggested raising awareness on the consumption of meat which they judged should be reduced due to its environmental impact and heavy use of water for raising animals. Reducing deforestation, which would in turn reduce greenhouse gas, and the creation of a section of low carbon footprint products in stores, were among some of the group’s other suggestions.

Another of the Klima-Biergerrot working groups proposed an increase on the tax for greenhouse gas emissions and a redistribution of tax revenues to the population. That would see those who register low emissions not being taxed or even receiving a bonus and those with higher polluting activities being taxed.

Awareness and sustainability

Increasing the production of renewable energies, working from home and inciting more the building of sustainable housing were among some of the other group’s suggestions. Promoting a conscious thinking and behavior among consumers via short radio or TV programmes followed by a quiz was also proposed by the citizen's consultation council. The members of Klima-Biergerrot admitted that some of those solutions were already set in motion by the government, with one of the spokespersons commenting: “do continue this way but do it faster”.