2021-05-17 11:30:00
GERMANY'S COAL REFUSING
IEEFA- May 14, 2021 - Just two weeks after young environmental activists won a lawsuit over insufficient climate protection in Germany, an amended version of the country’s climate law has been passed, which could result in an accelerated phaseout of coal-fired generation.
“Germany will be climate neutral by 2045 and is laying out the path to that goal with binding interim targets for the 20s and 30s,” the environment ministry said May 12, after the federal cabinet passed the law. An interim 2030 emissions reduction target of 65% compared to 1990 levels was also decided, 10 percentage points more ambitious than before, while a new target of 88% was added for 2040.
Until now, Germany had targeted net-zero emissions by 2050. It has now committed to becoming carbon-negative by that date, meaning taking more carbon out of the atmosphere than it puts in.
Activists had pleaded for more front-loading of the emissions curbs to prevent all the heavy lifting being passed onto future generations. This has been achieved with the amendments to the law, the ministry said.
To achieve the more ambitious goals, Germany’s large industrial economy, its power system and its population will need to decarbonize faster. “This affects many parts of politics. All ministries will have to be climate protection ministries more than ever,” Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said.
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Earlier:
2021, May, 12, 12:40:00
GERMANY CUT EMISSIONS BY 65%
Germany will now aim for a 65% cut in carbon emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2045, up from a previous 55% for 2030 and net zero by 2050.
2021, May, 7, 14:40:00
GERMANY REDUCE EMISSIONS
According to preliminary data released by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), Germany’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions decreased by 8.7% in 2020 to 739 MtCO2eq, corresponding to a 40.8% fall since 1990.
2021, April, 23, 11:30:00
EUROPEAN CLIMATE LAW
which enshrines the EU's commitment to reaching climate neutrality by 2050 and the intermediate target of reducing net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 55% by 2030,
2021, March, 17, 14:15:00
GERMANY'S CO2 EMISSIONS DOWN
"Germany has achieved its 2020 climate target," Economy and Energy Minister Peter Altmaier said. Compared to 1990, 2020 emissions dropped 40.8%.
2021, March, 9, 12:40:00
GERMANY NUCLEAR COMPENSATION
In August 2011, the 13th amendment of the Nuclear Power Act came into effect, which underlined the political will to phase out nuclear power in Germany.
2021, February, 25, 12:10:00
EUROPE'S CLIMATE STRATEGY
Economic losses from more frequent climate-related extreme weather are increasing. In the EU, these losses alone already average over €12 billion per year.
2021, February, 17, 15:35:00
EUROPEAN ENERGY & CLIMATE
Signed in 1994 to protect cross-border investment in the energy sector, the Energy Charter Treaty has faced growing criticism from environmental groups and governments that say it impedes countries’ efforts to phase out fossil fuels.
