Germany set to miss 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target, experts warn

Germany could miss its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target, experts warned Monday.

The report by the Council of Experts on Climate Change, an independent body appointed by the government, called on Berlin to swiftly overhaul a recently unveiled climate action plan, business magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported.

According to a key advisory body, the German government’s efforts on climate protection are insufficient.

The impact of the climate protection program recently presented by Environment Minister Carsten Schneider is likely to be significantly less than the government estimates, wrote the council in its latest report.

Even if the program were fully implemented, none of the targets for 2040 would be met, it added.

Reacting to the report, Schneider said: “I take the warnings from the Expert Council seriously and will have them thoroughly reviewed. After all, whether Germany meets its climate targets is crucial to Europe’s efforts to avert dangerous climate change.”

“The most important response to the experts' warning must now be to give full priority to renewable energy,” he added.

Meanwhile, Oliver Bettzuge, a member of the council, doubted that the tenders for approximately 2,000 additional wind turbines announced by Schneider will actually lead to CO2 savings of 6.5 million tons.

Furthermore, another goal is to reduce emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases by at least 65% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and by at least 88% by 2040.

According to the council’s assessment, this will not be achieved either. This would make it unlikely that Germany will reach its goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2045—that is, emitting no more greenhouse gases than can be sequestered.

Europe's largest economy has set a legally binding 2030 target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 65% compared with 1990 levels, and a 2045 deadline to achieve climate neutrality.