BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany will probably fail to achieve its 2030 climate targets unless significant policy changes are implemented, government climate advisers said in a study released on Wednesday.
The independent Council of Experts on Climate Change, which must review the country’s climate performance at regular intervals, said Germany won’t meet its goal to cut 65% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990, mostly due to the transport and construction sectors.
The council had already said last year that Germany was likely to miss its binding greenhouse gas targets.
Ahead of national elections on Feb. 23, the council said that the report formulates requirements for an updated climate action program that a new government must present within one year of taking office under the Climate Protection Act.
Even though greenhouse gas emissions have been declining recently, contributing to the overall achievement of the annual targets, the pace would have to increase by 50% from this year to hit the 2030 target, according to the council.
The council noted progress in emissions reduction in the energy sector and to some extent in industry, which was recently hit by the energy crisis and the economic downturn in Germany.
Emissions decline gained pace in 2014-2023 compared to 2010-2019, but the outlook remains bleak for the construction and transport sectors, as still too many internal combustion engine cars are being registered, said the council.
(Reporting by Markus Wacket, writing by Andrey Sychev, Editing by Miranda Murray)
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