German Emissions Drop to 70-Year Low But Climate Goals Still Lag
- Emissions dropped on the back of cuts in industrial production
- Germany net-importer of electricity in 2023 for the first time
Cooling towers at a coal-fired power plant in Peitz, Germany.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Germany’s carbon emissions have dropped to their lowest level in 70 years, helped by cuts in industrial production and lower coal generation, but Europe’s largest economy and biggest polluter is still not on track to meet its climate goals.
The country’s climate-harming emissions dropped to 673 million tons of CO2, a reduction of 73 million and below the government’s annual target of 722 million, according to estimates from think tank Agora Energiewende published Thursday. However, only 15% of the overall emissions savings are because of higher energy efficiency standards or more renewables in the mix.