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The reactivation of the Hermann Hesse Railway between Calw and Renningen in Baden-Württemberg demonstrates how significantly bats can impact the budget of a public project. Originally budgeted at €49 million, the railway line has now ballooned to €207 million. Nearly 40 percent of the total expenditure, or approximately €80 million, is earmarked for species protection. […]

Germany is mired in a deep economic and political dead end. The once-celebrated flagship project of radical climate policy was meant to impress the world, but the plan has failed spectacularly. Instead of the hoped-for economic miracle, the country now faces the wreckage of a botched energy transition. A morally charged prestige project has turned

China is accelerating the expansion of nuclear power to secure its growing electricity supply in the long term. The government is making targeted investments in new reactors and modern nuclear power plants to guarantee a stable energy supply. This development combines economic progress with ambitious climate goals and simultaneously strengthens the country’s position as an

The government promised to reduce bureaucracy for businesses, but the new law on adherence to collective bargaining agreements is having the opposite effect. Under the guise of fair wages, the government is forcing companies to comply with yet another documentation requirement that is practically impossible to manage. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), already the backbone

Friedrich Merz stands on the stage at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. While delegations discuss climate goals, Germany is experiencing a gradual decline in its industry. Climate policy resembles a staged event more than a strategy, as the growing deindustrialization reveals the consequences of excessive subsidies. The Chancellor presents his country as a role model, even

Europe is facing an economic tipping point. According to BASF CEO Markus Kamieth, emissions trading is developing into a major risk for industry. While climate policy in Brussels is creating new burdens, companies are struggling with rising energy prices, a growing industrial crisis, and the threat of deindustrialization. CO₂ emissions trading is particularly burdensome for

The German economy is under unprecedented pressure in decades. At the steel summit in the Chancellery, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, together with representatives from industry and labor unions, sought solutions to the energy crisis. But instead of sustainable strategies, a familiar pattern prevails: subsidies, rising costs, and paralyzing bureaucracy. A growing number of companies are complaining

German family businesses are on the brink of a dangerous situation. According to a recent survey, one in four companies is planning job cuts – a clear warning sign for the entire economy. Many of these traditional businesses, however, hesitate much longer than large corporations because they typically employ highly qualified staff whom they have

More and more municipal utilities are offering citizen participation through subordinated loans to finance their energy transition projects. The reason lies in a lack of equity capital: many local providers cannot manage the expansion of solar fields, wind farms, and power grids on their own. Banks are acting cautiously, and international markets remain closed –

Germany is in the midst of an energy transition that, according to many experts, is degenerating into an expensive planned economy. EON CEO Leonhard Birnbaum speaks openly of a misguided development that jeopardizes Germany’s industrial base. He argues that current climate policy is not based on market principles but rather on centralized state control. The

The German Armed Forces’ digital radio system is emblematic of the failure of one of the most expensive modernization projects in the German defense industry. Around 20 billion euros are being invested in the digitalization of land-based operations, but the expected benefits have failed to materialize. In addition, the project is devouring over 150 million

The EU Commission is debating internally a possible tax on sugar and salt – officially in the name of public health, but in reality to close gaps in the EU budget. What is presented as a health-promoting measure reveals itself upon closer inspection as a new lever for raising tax revenue. Instead of considering reforms

Germany is hurtling at breakneck speed towards an economic abyss. A combination of a stagnating economy, dangerous dependence on subsidies, exploding energy costs, and rampant bureaucracy is increasingly putting the pillars of industry under pressure. Traditional value creation is faltering because companies are no longer able to operate freely but are instead trapped in a

In Ningbo, China, the ninth unit of the Beilun power plant went online, a milestone for China’s coal industry. With a total capacity of 7.34 gigawatts, the plant is considered the country’s largest coal-fired power plant – a clear signal of energy security in a growing industrial nation. Nevertheless, German media outlets report almost exclusively

The Federal Employment Agency is struggling with massive payment difficulties. These liquidity problems stem from a deficit totaling nine billion euros over the next two years. A weak economy, rising expenditures, and dwindling reserves are exacerbating the situation. In addition to these payment difficulties, four other factors are compounding the problem: a persistent financial crisis,