BERLIN, Dec 29, (Reuters) – Germany is likely to miss its carbon emission reduction targets in the next two years, Robert Habeck, Economy and Climate Protection Minister, told Die Zeit newspaper.
After a high court ruled that Germany must tighten its climate protection laws in April, the then-government set higher CO2 reduction targets, including carbon neutrality by 2045.
The coalition government announced plans to intensify climate protection efforts. This includes reforms across the utility sector, manufacturing industries, buildings and transport, as well as other reforms.
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“We will likely miss our targets for 2022. … It will be hard enough even for 2023. We have a huge backlog.” Habeck, co-leader for the Greens, who are part the new ruling coalition, said.
Germany’s goal is to reduce its emissions in the largest carbon emitting sector, industry, to 177 millions CO2 tonnes by 2022, which is 38% less than 1990.
The transport sector should reduce CO2 emissions to 139 Million Tonnes in the next year, a 15% decrease from 1990.
From the 145 million in the current year, the transport sector should see CO2 emissions drop to 139million tonnes by the next year.
Habeck said that Germany’s wind turbine production will increase from 450 to 1,000 annually in the past to 1,500 in the future. This is to meet the government’s renewables targets of 80% power demand by 2030, and to dedicate 2% land to wind power infrastructure.
He stated that the government plans to have laws allowing wind turbines to be approved faster by the end next year.
He stated, “2022 is one of the most exhausting and difficult years this ministry has ever seen in a long period.”
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Reporting by Riham Elkousaa. Editing by Mark Porter
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