Germany presents plan to transition away from fossil fuels, reaffirms 2045 climate neutrality target

The German government has approved a plan to steer the country away from oil, coal and gas by 2045 at the latest. The document reaffirms the climate neutrality target, but environmental organisations say it brings no new ambition and that its message abroad conflicts with some government actions.

Germany has become only the third country, after France and the Netherlands, to publish its own national roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels. The German government presented the document to the cabinet, and Environment Minister Carsten Schneider subsequently presented it at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The plan builds on an international initiative to phase out coal, oil and gas, which attracted significant attention at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai.

A plan for energy, industry, buildings and transport

The roadmap is intended to align action across four key sectors and link emissions cuts with a gradual reduction in fossil fuel use. The government says Germany has cut emissions by around 48% since 1990, while economic output has increased by a similar proportion over the same period.