"Are on course"

Germany has achieved its climate target for 2023

(Bild: RicoK)

Germany has achieved its climate target for 2023. At 673 million tons, around ten percent fewer greenhouse gases were emitted than in 2022, the Climate Ministry and Federal Environment Agency (UBA) announced on Friday morning. This is the sharpest decline since reunification in 1990. The main reasons for this are that less coal was burned in power plants and that the German economy was weaker.

However, a look at the individual sectors shows that despite the improvement, both the transport and building sectors have once again failed to meet their legal targets. Climate Minister Robert Habeck was nevertheless pleased: "Germany is on course - for the first time. If we stay on course, we will achieve our 2030 climate targets." It shows that the efforts are paying off.

Climate Minister Robert Habeck

(Bild: AFP/John MACDOUGALL)

Expansion of renewable energy is progressing
The Federal Environment Agency also stated that targets for the coming years could also be achieved on the basis of a projection. "Looking ahead to 2030, I am confident that we will be able to meet the national targets," said UBA President Dirk Messner. "We have already made great progress in climate protection." This is mainly due to the faster expansion of renewable energy such as wind and solar power.

Germany wants to reduce its emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. The current figure is around 46 percent. By 2045, Germany aims to be climate-neutral, i.e. to produce practically no greenhouse gas at all.