Policy Recommendation #1: Increase Carbon Pricing, Especially in the Transportation Sector Policy Recommendation #2: Mandate That New Heating System Construction Be Carbon Neutral Germany has reduced nearly 40% of its emissions since 1990 and aims to reach reduction levels of 55% by 2030. When looking at the numbers though you can see that the main...
According to the latest data published by the Ministry of Energy and Economics, 42.1% of Germany’s energy was produced by renewable resources. Initially, the country’s 2020 target for renewable resource energy production was set at 35%, meaning they are roughly 18 months ahead of schedule. The primary source in Germany’s renewable portfolio is wind, which...
Recently Reported Greenhouse Gas Emission Level: 805 Metric Tons in 2019, a Decrease of 42% Compared to 1990 Level (from German data) According to the most recent estimation published by the Federal Environmental Agency, in 2019 Germany emitted 805 MT of greenhouse gases (UBA, March 2020). This figure represents a decrease of 6.3% from the...
Earlier this year it became evident that Germany will fail to achieve its emission reduction targets of 40% by the end of the year, reaching a reduction of only 35.7% compared to the 1990 levels. According to two independent studies ordered by the Ministries of Environment and Economy, at current conditions and standing policies the...
In Germany, Climate Justice or “Klimagerechtigkeit” is defined as the right for every human being to ‘use’ the atmosphere without greatly impacting it. It is related to having a responsibility towards the society or the world as a whole. The consequences of climate change for individual groups or regions in Germany are not necessarily equal;...
Germany is often seen as the engine of Europe in the context of industry, its rising economy, and international exports. But Germany has not been unaffected by the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Kiel Institute for World Economy remarked that the first two quarters of 2020 show the smallest amount of industrial production in decades. It is...
Wildlife loss, the growth of monocultures, mechanized agricultural, and livestock “factory farming” is increasing the risk of pathogen spillover, disrupting life-sustaining ecosystem services, and contributing to GHG emissions. This post is an assessment of land cover change in the top greenhouse gas emitting countries, with an eye on how natural, wild areas support species diversity and at...
Just as it has in 200 other countries, the coronavirus has led to an essential halt to everyday life in Germany. Education facilities moved online, businesses closed, and people are experiencing different ways of doing things. Germany also has demonstrated its capability to implement strong new measures and policies in response to the pandemic. For...
Unlike other countries, Germany has been trying to phase out nuclear power (by 2022) since the Fukushima incident in Japan and is now intending to phase out coal by 2038, at the latest. As reported in previous Climate Scorecard posts, the phasing out of nuclear power led to a sudden increase in coal consumption; but...
As of 2021, Germany will put a price on each ton of carbon emitted. In December 2019, the federal government, finally, agreed to initiate a fixed carbon price through a national emission trading scheme (ETS) starting with a moderate price of 25 €/ton in 2021 and reaching as high as 55 €/ton in 2025. This...
