BERLIN, March 25 (Reuters) – Germany set out plans on Wednesday to help it meet 2030 climate targets and reduce its dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports, making 8 billion euros ($9.28 billion) available to fund measures such as expanding wind power capacity and boosting EV sales.
While the long-awaited 67-point programme addresses concerns that Berlin’s climate goals are at risk, it comes amid growing fears about soaring energy prices and oil and gas flow disruption due to the Iran war.
GERMANY AT RISK OF MISSING CLIMATE TARGETS
Europe’s biggest economy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% from 1990 levels by 2030 and to be climate neutral by 2045. So far, however, the reduction is only about 48% and experts say existing policies are insufficient.
The plans, approved by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s cabinet, include a 12 gigawatt expansion of onshore wind turbine capacity, schemes to boost electric vehicle (EV) sales and steps to help forests and soil.
The result will be savings of more than 25 million metric tons of CO2 by the end of the decade, said the Environment Ministry, and reductions of nearly seven billion cubic metres in natural gas and four billion litres of petrol use by 2030.
“We are modernising the economy, making society more resilient to crises, and helping nature so it can help us,” said Environment Minister Carsten Schneider.
CRITICS SAY PLANS FALL SHORT
However, the programme drew criticism from environmental groups, and the independent Expert Council on Climate Issues said in an initial assessment that “it is highly likely that the measures will not be sufficient to ensure the climate protection targets are met”.
To support the transport and housing sectors – consistent laggards – the government said it had devised a socially tiered 3 billion euro subsidy scheme to make EVs more affordable.
This should cover 800,000 electric cars, saving more than 800 million litres of petrol. Germany’s charging infrastructure will also be extended.
After last month ditching the previous government’s contentious heating law, Schneider said funding for improving building efficiency and heating replacements would continue.
An extra 2.9 billion euros will also be available to help industry shift to low-carbon technology, such as electrification processes and boosting carbon capture and storage (CCS).
($1 = 0.8617 euros)
(Reporting by Holger Hansen and Madeline Chambers; editing by Matthias Williams and Andrei Khalip)
