Germany to miss 2050 climate change goals - study

Jul 15, 2014 - A new study says Germany is likely to miss its 2050 targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions and energy consumption cuts, but there is still hope if additional efforts are made.

Germany will manage to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 65% on 1990 levels and reduce its energy use by 42% on 2008 levels by 2050, according to a forecast prepared by economic research and consultancy group Prognos AG, the Institute of Energy Economics (EWI) at the University of Cologne, and the Institute of Economic Structure Research (GWS). This compares to an emissions reduction goal of 80% and a target to cut energy consumption by 50% set by the government in 2010.

In order to achieve the targets, energy and climate change policy needs to become a key priority on the political agenda in Germany, the authors of the study say. Businesses and private energy consumers will have to pay more attention to climate protection and boost efficiency. Increased climate change prevention efforts globally will also support the battles fought by individual countries like Germany, Prognos, EWI and GWS said.

The study, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Economy and Energy, also mentions that by 2020 Germany’s greenhouse gas emission will fall by 36% on 1990 levels. EWI researcher Dietmar Lindenberger pointed out that the country is to surpass its renewable electricity targets by the end of the decade.

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