In 2022, Germany met its climate targets in terms of total greenhouse gases released. However, not all sectors are on the right track. The transport sector in particular, with its annually rising emissions, is causing concern among experts.
According to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), four percent more emissions were emitted in 2021 compared to the previous year 2020. That is no longer the case for last year, according to the latest report from the federal office. Greenhouse gases had decreased by almost two per cent - 1.9% compared to the previous year - in 2022. This is an almost positive estimate, but in the end it is only a picture of the general situation. Not all sectors have passed the Office's test with flying colours. Especially with regard to the goal of becoming climate neutral by 2045, Germany still has a long way to go.
All in all, the UBA report says, around 746 million tonnes of so-called carbon dioxide equivalents could be saved in 2022 - ten million tonnes less than the upper limit set in the Climate Protection Act. However, this result is mainly due to the industrial sector and the austerity measures announced nationwide in the context of the energy crisis. Although industry saved Germany's climate balance for the year, this was partly at the expense of its own productivity. Namely, industrial production decreased by about 0.6 per cent compared to the previous year.
The other sectors, however, were less positively affected by the Federal Environment Agency's estimates. Due to the increased use of coal, emissions in the energy sector are rising, and in the building sector, too, the lowering emission values are nevertheless above the mark set by the Climate Protection Act. More problematic, however, is the transport sector, which is still lagging behind the climate protection targets. Despite the first steps in the direction of a sustainable transport system and a partly greener mobility behaviour on the part of the citizens - also thanks to support programmes for public transport - emissions have even increased this year. The transport sector of Federal Minister Wissing (FDP) is nine million tonnes above the target. As was the case last year, the transport sector remains the only one that has not been able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in recent decades - and, despite progress, almost every year shows a minimum increase of at least 1% over the previous year.
The emissions situation in the sector is heavily criticised. If transport is already unable to meet its climate targets, how will the sector cope with the coming tightening of targets? The government should focus more on the expansion of renewable energies. In this way, it would not only be possible to reduce direct emissions from areas such as energy and buildings - where mainly environmentally friendly resources can provide electricity and heat - but also to support the green transport turnaround with the corresponding phasing out of combustion engines. The result would be a consistent reduction in transport-related emissions - which would lead to a lower environmental impact.
What will the ministry do now to get the transport sector back on track? Like last year, Transport Minister Wissing has three months to present an immediate programme. This should correct the excessive emissions and enable a long-term decline in the greenhouse gas balance. This is because real climate protection measures are lacking and the Climate Protection Act is being broken again and again by inaction in the transport sector. It is certain that the climate targets will not be achieved in the future if more and more environmental zones are abolished in Germany - and are not subject to stricter emission reduction regulations as in other countries. Will the new emergency programme finally contain effective and implementable measures? Or will the Federal Minister once again ask for more time to bring the transport sector in line with the necessary CO2 reduction targets? How long will polluting internal combustion vehicles still be on German roads, despite the EU's plans for the future phasing out of internal combustion vehicles?