Together for 1.5
German NECP
The final German NECP is more ambitious than the 2023 draft and, except for the LULUCF sector, targets are aligned to the minimum 2030 EU benchmarks on paper. However, the NECP does not contain enough information on how Germany intends to close the gaps in different sectors. Overall, the federal government is overly relying on price developments under the upcoming ETS II to close the ESR and energy efficiency target gaps, which poses questions regarding the social and political feasibility of the trajectories presented in the NECP. In addition, too little information is included on the financial needs and sources to achieve the planned trajectories.
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Germany – climate action progress in figures
Check German implementation of its National Energy and Climate Plan
For climate, the final NECP reports an ESR contribution compliant with the EU benchmark on paper, but according to projections Germany is expected to fall short on meeting several climate targets, especially in the ESR and LULUCF sectors. The reported targets are mostly not backed up by credible trajectories supporting their achievement. Even in projections following the WAM scenario – which is not sufficiently described – Germany is not on track to achieve most of the EU climate and energy targets.
While Germany must accelerate climate action to achieve its new 2030 targets, it was, as of 2022, roughly on track with the greenhouse gas emission reduction trajectories projected in the 2019 NECP. The only notable and worrisome exception is the LULUCF sector. Moreover it is roughly on the trajectory to meet the energy targets both for energy efficiency and renewables. Efforts must increase sharply if the new 2024 NECP targets are to be met.
Check here our latest briefing from October 2024
“Mind the NECP Gap”
Articles
German NECP Assessment
Germany has not submitted a draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) update, as of 30 September 2023, and it is not clear when it will. In June, the long-awaited Climate Action Programme – a cornerstone also for the NECP update – was finally adopted. This should imply that the NECP update will soon be submitted. The Climate Action Programme, however, is not sufficient to achieve the 2030 climate targets set in the Federal Climate Protection Act. This was also confirmed by the German Council of Experts on Climate Change. The draft NECP update presents itself as a perfect opportunity to adjust its trajectory. Environmental organisations have developed a set of recommended policies and measures to fill this gap...
Accelerate
The German National and Energy Climate Plan needs to provide measures to reach both the climate targets for 2030 and the goal of a climate neutral economy by 2045. At this stage, it’s very important to foster public participation in the plan drafting and to accelerate the transition starting from the transport sector.