Turning German forests, peatland and soils into net carbon sink “generational task” – env min
Germany is set to miss its mid-term climate targets for forests, peatland and soils, but aims to turn these into a net carbon sink again, environment minister Carsten Schneider has said.
“Currently, our forests, moors and soils are part of the problem in terms of CO₂ emissions,” Schneider said in Berlin presenting a draft to extend Germany's programme for natural climate action. The so-called land use and land use-change and forestry sector (LULUCF) since several years has turned into a net greenhouse gas emitter, causing about 50 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents in 2024, more than the trees, plants and soils removed from the atmosphere. Humans have drained peatland and changed groundwater levels over hundreds of years. However, climate change is now causing more droughts, which increasingly affects groundwater reservoirs and damages forests, which then lose their ability to store CO2.
“We want to reverse the trend so that nature becomes a sink rather than a source of greenhouse gases,” the minister said. “This is truly a generational task.”
Unlike other sectors, the land use sector can be both a source of net emissions and a sink thanks to net carbon sequestration. Healthy forests and peatland bind more greenhouse gases than they emit. However, dying trees and dried out peatland can also turn into crucial sources of emissions. In recent years, German forests have been damaged heavily by droughts, bark beetle infestations, storms and forest fires and became net emitters of carbon dioxide.
The German climate law, on the other hand, prescribes annual net-negative emissions targets for the land use sector for 2030, 2040 and 2045.
“We will not be able to reach the 2030 target in this sector,” said Schneider. The government’s efforts would only really bear fruit in the mid to long-term, helping the sector to reach its 2045 target, he argued. It is unclear what will happen when the target is missed. Ultimately, the issue could land in court. Unlike with areas like buildings and transport, other sectors cannot make up for shortfalls in the LULUCF sector.
In the programme for natural climate action, the environment ministry proposes to improve sustainable forest management, create more forest area, improve the CO2 intake of soils and re-wet dried out peatland. Especially the latter would take at least a decade until it leads to substantial carbon removals. The current programme with measures for natural climate action already makes available a total of 4 billion euros until 2026, and minister Schneider said the annual budget is set to increase until 2028.
State of German eco systems “alarming” – NGO
A report published by the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) today showed that the overall state of Europe’s environment gives reason for concern. Achieving climate neutrality by 2050 – the EU’s target – also hinges on better and responsible management of land, water and other resources, the EEA said.
In light of the report's findings, environmental umbrella organisation DNR welcomed minister Schneider’s proposals. “This is more urgent than ever, as the state of our ecosystems is alarming,” said the NGO's director Florian Schöne. He called for a speedy implementation of the proposed measures. “Only with stable financing, accelerated implementation and accompanying regulatory and planning instruments can natural climate protection realise its full potential,” he said.
Environmental Action Germany (DUH) said the proposals mean there finally is a clear long-term goal for how to manage ecosystems such as peatland and forests, which brings planning security for forest owners as well as for farmers. However, the efforts were lacking mechanisms to ensure compliance, said managing director Sascha Müller-Kraenner. He called for climate requirements for state support for agriculture, and annual targets for the protection of peatland.
Parts of the proposed measures will also become elements of the comprehensive climate action programme 2025, which the new coalition government must adopt within the first year of its term. The programme is meant to ensure that Germany reaches its 2030 and 2040 greenhouse gas reduction targets, which it is currently projected to miss. Ministries have drafted first proposals for climate measures, which are now being assessed and debated within the government, with the goal of finalising the programme around the turn of the year.
