Ministries present action programmes to make up for high emissions from transport & buildings

German government ministries have launched a set of immediate action programmes that are to ensure emission reductions in the laggard buildings and transport sectors. The immediate action programme for buildings lists nine measures that the government wants to finalise this year so that emissions in the sector – which has failed its climate targets twice in the past years - can be reduced by about 156 to 161 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent between 2022 and 2030, putting it back on track to comply with its emission budget, the ministries for climate and buildings write in a press release. The nine measures include higher standards for new buildings, a law that stipulates that every newly installed heating system has to be at least 65 percent renewable as of 2024, a programme to refurbish and insulate municipal buildings (i.e. schools, swimming pools) as well as training programmes for heat pump installation.

For the transport sector, the responsible ministry proposed a further development of the e-car charging infrastructure and cycling infrastructure as well as a campaign for better local and public transport. The measures would make up for the 3 million tonnes of CO2equiv. that the sector emitted too much in 2021, the transport ministry said.

The immediate action programmes in the two sectors are a mandatory obligation for the responsible ministries, triggered by section 8 of the Climate Action Law in the case of target miss. Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by nearly five percent in 2021 in an expected rebound during the economic revival after the pandemic. The plans presented today will now be checked by the expert council on climate issues. The government announced earlier this year the launch of an overarching action programme for all sectors but internal disputes and other urgent tasks (e.g. securing the energy supply for next winter in the ensuing gas shortage due to the Russian war against Ukraine) caused these plans to be delayed. Once a comprehensive climate action programme is coordinated within the federal government, the measures proposed today will be integrated into this overall plan, the ministries say.

Last week, parliament passed a first batch of important energy transition reform bills designed to give the further expansion of renewables a boost and streamline the planning procedures for power grids and wind turbines.