Germany’s outgoing government says country ‘en route’ to hit 2030 climate goal

BERLIN – Germany currently has a realistic chance of hitting greenhouse emissions targets over the coming years by keeping the country’s “existing climate policy instruments”, the German Environment Agency (UBA) announced on Friday. But a looming change of government in Berlin could soon mean changes.

Keeping current German climate policies in place through 2030 would bring Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions down by 63% compared to the benchmark year of 1990, the agency projected. That’s within spitting distance of the 65% target outlined in government plans.

The country’s energy sector has rapidly transformed and now relies on 60% renewables. Further progress would enable Germany to stay close to achieving the total annual emission allowances set out in German law for ten consecutive years from 2021 to 2030, according to the projection by the agency.

This would save the equivalent of an additional 81 million tonnes of carbon dioxide – leaving “not an opulent buffer, but a bit of wiggle room” for future years, Robert Habeck, the outgoing Green vice-chancellor and economy minister, said at a presentation of the report on Friday in Berlin.

Habeck lauded the outgoing government for “setting Germany en route to climate protection”, while also arguing that greater efforts are needed from the country’s emission-heavy sectors such as transport, building and land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF).

Both Habeck and UBA President Dirk Messner pointed out several times during the presentation that those sectors are to blame for projections which show Germany missing other future climate goals of cutting emissions by 88% by 2040 and achieving net-zero by 2045.

“It will be the future government’s job to continue investing in the transformation of our economy so it can meet the climate goals,” said Habeck, whose Greens are set to leave government and go into opposition after losing ground in February’s election.

Coalition talks between the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats formally started on Thursday. As part of the broader negotiations, both parties have designated groups of adept experts in the areas of climate and energy policy. 

[BTS]