German climate programme outlines path to meet future targets

Germany is legally committed to achieving greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. Under the Federal Climate Protection Act, emissions must be cut by at least 65 per cent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and by at least 88 per cent by 2040.

However, the climate programme adopted in 2023 by the previous coalition government was deemed insufficient to meet these targets in a ruling by the Federal Administrative Court in January. As a result, the current coalition was required to present a new climate protection programme by the end of March.

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) led the process on behalf of the entire government, with the programme spanning multiple ministries beyond the environment portfolio.

“We in Germany bear a great responsibility—not only domestically, but also in Europe and globally,” Schneider said at the presentation in Berlin. “While we are no longer the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, many innovations originate here and spread internationally. If we lead and take responsibility, others will follow.”

According to Schneider, the programme aims to “depoliticise” climate policy while providing economic support, particularly in light of high fossil fuel costs. It is also intended to offer guidance for consumers—for example, those deciding on a new heating system or vehicle while seeking to contribute to climate protection.

To support implementation, an additional eight billion euros will be made available in the coming years, including 7.6 billion euros from the Climate and Transformation Fund and a further 400 million euros from special funds.

“This shows that climate policy remains a top priority for the government, even in times of tight budgets,” Schneider said.

The programme comprises 67 measures intended to reduce emissions by at least 27 million tonnes of CO₂, although the savings are not broken down by individual measure. According to Schneider, this is because some long-term measures will only deliver their full impact in the 2030s, and to avoid double-counting—particularly in the case of electromobility.

“The key lever is the ramp-up of electric vehicles, which ultimately drives CO₂ reductions,” the minister said. “Charging infrastructure is essential for their operation, but its contribution to emissions savings is realised through the vehicles themselves.”

A package of familiar measures

Turning to electric mobility, the programme largely builds on existing measures and previously announced initiatives. These include planned purchase incentives for private households—particularly targeting low- and middle-income groups—with support levels linked to income.

The package also references funding for charging infrastructure in multi-occupancy buildings, as outlined in the ‘Master Plan for Charging Infrastructure 2030.’ In addition, the implementation of the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) through Germany’s Building Electromobility Infrastructure Act (GEIG) is expected to contribute to future CO₂ reductions.

Further measures include extending the toll exemption for zero-emission trucks beyond 2025, raising the gross list price cap for the favourable taxation of electric company cars, and introducing a declining-balance depreciation scheme (AfA) for electric vehicles purchased between mid-2025 and the end of 2027.

Some measures have already been outlined, but lack concrete details or active funding schemes—leaving open how exactly they will be implemented and contribute to CO₂ reductions. This applies, for example, to planned support for truck charging infrastructure on company premises, as well as for publicly accessible truck charging on private land to expand the network along federal highways.

Both measures are included in the ‘Master Plan for Charging Infrastructure 2030’, but the corresponding funding programmes are still under development or subject to budget constraints. A separate scheme for sites on federally owned motorway land is already in place, while comparable initiatives at state level exist only in isolated cases and have yet to be rolled out nationwide.

The ‘Master Plan for Charging Infrastructure’ is a case in point. While the climate programme refers to a “new” master plan as an overarching strategy, this in fact points to the existing ‘Master Plan for Charging Infrastructure 2030’, adopted by the current coalition last November. Rather than introducing a new framework, the focus is on implementing already agreed measures—such as the planned funding schemes.

One open issue is the planned amendment of the Electric Mobility Act (EmoG). Introduced in 2015, the law enables municipalities to grant privileges to electric vehicles in road traffic, such as free parking or access to dedicated lanes. The current version of the EmoG is set to expire at the end of this year.

Transport ministers debate extension and reform of EmoG

The planned amendment to the Electromobility Act (EmoG) is also on the agenda of the Transport Ministers’ Conference (VMK) on 25–26 March in Lindau. One proposal calls for extending the law beyond the end of 2026 and further developing it. This could include expanding eligibility to used electric vehicles and giving municipalities greater flexibility to introduce additional incentive schemes.

Public transport also features in the programme. According to the Environment Ministry, securing the long-term continuation and financing of the ‘Deutschlandticket’—a nationwide flat-rate public transport pass that allows unlimited travel on local and regional services for a fixed monthly fee—until 2030 could reduce emissions by around one million tonnes of CO₂ annually. This is equivalent to roughly 435 million litres of petrol. For comparison, the entire package of e-mobility funding measures is expected to deliver a similar level of savings.

A significantly larger contribution is expected from the planned amendment of the Greenhouse Gas Quota. This instrument obliges fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of their products and is designed to make refuelling progressively more climate-friendly. Compliance options include the use of sustainable biofuels, hydrogen-based fuels or electricity for electric vehicles. By 2030, the measure is expected to cut emissions by around 6.3 million tonnes of CO₂—equivalent to approximately 2.7 billion litres of petrol.

Source: Livestream , bundesumweltministerium.de (press release; in German), bundesumweltministerium.de (programme as PDF; in German)