German ministries presented emergency programs on Wednesday to cut transport and construction emissions after the two sectors missed their 2021 carbon-dioxide reduction targets, threatening Germany’s overall 2030 climate goals.
A court ordered Germany last year to tighten its climate protection law, prompting the then-government to set more ambitious CO2 reduction goals.
The new coalition government also presented plans last year to step up climate protection efforts that entail far-reaching reforms for the utility sector, manufacturers, buildings, transport and agriculture.
The Environment Agency said in March the transport sector’s CO2 emissions were at 148.1 million tonnes last year, missing its target of 145 million tonnes.
According to a section of the Climate Action Law, the ministries had until Wednesday to present programs to ensure compliance with annual targets. The economy, transport and construction ministries presented their plans on Wednesday.
Transport, which accounted for 19 per cent of Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, has been the slowest sector to cut emissions. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic reduced travel, transport emissions in 2021 were only 9.4 per cent less than in 1990.
Construction emitted 115 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents last year, missing its target of 112 million tonnes.
Germany’s overall greenhouse gas emissions rose 4.5 per cent in 2021 compared with 2020 as demand for electricity climbed and more coal was used for electricity generation because of rising gas prices and lower renewable energy output.
Total greenhouse gas emissions in Europe’s biggest economy fell 39 per cent last year compared with 1990. Berlin’s goal is a 65-per-cent fall by 2030, which means it has to roll out more renewable projects.
The transport program pushes for expanding charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and expands funding for innovating and using more efficient heavy commercial vehicles.
It earmarks an additional €250-million ($326-million) for expanding the cycle path network by 2030 and to support a “digitization push” to promote working from home.
The measures could save about 13 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents by 2030 in transport, compensating for the 2021 shortfall, according to the transport ministry, which is run by liberal Free Democratic Party minister Volker Wissing.
Julia Verlinden, the deputy parliamentary group leader of the Greens party, questioned whether the measures would put the sector back on track. “The more long-term projects show that the urgency continues to be misjudged,” she said.
In construction, the emergency plan would oblige all newly installed heating systems in Germany to be operated with 65-per-cent renewable energy from 2024. The government also plans renovations to make public and residential buildings more energy-efficient.
The plan provides incentives for switching fossil fuel heating networks to renewable energy and for new heating networks that produce at least 75 per cent of heat from renewables and waste heat.
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