RWE CEO Markus Krebber discussed a hot topic with Martina Merz, CEO of thyssenkrupp AG, Member of the European Parliament Peter Liese MEP, coordinator of the Group of the European People's Party in the Environment Committee, and Rainer Baake, Director of the Climate Neutrality Foundation, at the RWE talk: are Germany and Europe on the way to climate neutrality?

The focus of the lively discussion was the so-called "fit for 55-package", which the European Commission plans to present in mid-July. The number 55 refers to the increased target for the European Union to emit 55 per cent less CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 1990.

The package consists of many individual components. One of the central fields is the reform of the already effective European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), which will be adapted to the renewed reduction targets. The panellists discussed how this reform should be designed. And what could be the next steps? Does a "climate club", in which the G20 countries agree on a uniform CO2 price, have a chance?

All panellists made it clear that the intensive transformation of the economy should not lead to an exodus of industry from Europe. But how can this be achieved in the face of increasing demands? Is a so-called border adjustment mechanism, a kind of "climate tariff" for imported goods from countries where there is no CO2 pricing, the right way?

How the expansion of renewable energy will be driven forward in the coming years is also part of the package. For the European Renewable Energy Directive is also being reformed. The goal is clear: to further increase the share of renewables in final energy consumption. But what are the decisive levers to achieving this?

It was an exciting discussion about the political framework in which the European economy is set to grow in a climate-friendly way in the coming years.