Germany missed emissions targets as carbon dioxide emissions remained stable last year. It endangers its climate goals as increased usage of coal and oil countered decreased energy consumption and record levels of renewable energy production. This is according to figures released on Wednesday by the climate think tank Agora Energiewende.
Thanks to rising energy prices, mild weather, and a government call for individuals to conserve energy in light of an unexpected decline in Russian gas shipments, Germany’s 2022 energy consumption decreased by 4.7% year over year to the lowest level since the country’s reunification.
The coal was not a goal
The Berlin-based think tank stated in a statement that the increased use of coal and oil, however, negated the reductions in emissions brought about by energy savings.
German greenhouse gas emissions last year were around 761 million tonnes, falling short of the target of 756 million tonnes and falling behind the 2020 benchmark of a 40% reduction compared to 1990, according to Agora. This was despite renewable energy reaching a record 46% share in the country’s electricity mix.
The numbers, according to Economy Minister Robert Habeck, demonstrated that Germany’s campaign for renewable energy, which was accelerated by various laws introduced last year, was on the right track.
According to Habeck, the administration is also negotiating a law requiring energy efficiency. The statistics demonstrate how crucial it is to make efforts to conserve energy, he added in a statement.
Germany aims to be CO2-neutral by 2045
Berlin wants to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 and reduce emissions by 65% by 2030 as compared to 1990, but according to Simon Mueller, director of Agora in Germany, short-term steps to maintain energy security in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have put the city behind schedule.
Germany agreed to enable coal-fired power stations to be restarted or have their lifespans extended last summer in order to make up for dwindling gas deliveries.
The energy sector’s CO2 emissions in 2022 totaled 255 million tons, up 3% from the year before but well shy of the 257 million tons sector target.
The transport sector and emissions targets
Although the manufacturing sector reduced emissions by 8 million tons last year as a result of cost-cutting measures and a drop in production, the transportation and construction sectors fell short of their yearly goals, according to Agora.
Regarding the climate targets, this is a warning signal, Mueller continued.
Habeck claimed that in order to close the CO2 gap in the transportation sector, urgent action was required because the government’s proposed climate-friendly initiatives were insufficient.
After falling short of its goal last year, it forced the transport ministry to develop an urgent initiative to reduce emissions. However, the ministry noted that restructuring the sector is more difficult than in other economic sectors because it impacts people’s daily life, which cannot be changed rapidly.