Germany submitted its roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels to the UN in New York today, in line with the commitment made at the UN Cop 28 climate summit in 2023.
Germany is the third country to present its roadmap as part of the transitioning away from fossil fuels initiative, following France and the Netherlands.
In presenting the roadmap, the government aims to "inject further momentum into the process", so that "as many countries as possible can flesh out their respective plans", the environment ministry said.
The roadmap outlines existing targets and measures that are enshrined in the country's climate action law and climate action programme, which was passed by the government in March.
The "current global situation" is injecting "new momentum" into international climate policy, environment minister Carsten Schneider said at the presentation.
Fossil fuels still covered 65pc of Germany's energy usage in 2024, at a cost of €76bn. These costs have since "massively" increased, the ministry said.
The country plans to reach net greenhouse gas neutrality in 2045.
The roadmap relies on both the growing use of renewable energies in electricity generation and the electrification of transport, heating and industrial processes.
The ministry flagged the rapidly growing share of renewable energy in electricity generation, which accounts for around 55pc of gross electricity consumption and is set to rise to at least 80pc by 2030.
Coal-fired power generation will be phased out by 2038, with the government eyeing an earlier phase-out by 2035.
Regarding industry, the environment ministry underlined the country's strategy of electrification and modernisation, and the funding schemes that support investments in decarbonisation. This is complemented by the price signals from the EU emissions trading system (ETS) and the protection afforded by the bloc's carbon border adjustment mechanism, the ministry said.
Carbon pricing is an "essential" component of German and European climate policy in the roadmap, and a "vital" driver of the transition away from fossil fuels. Some 85pc of emissions in Germany are currently covered by either the EU ETS or the domestic carbon pricing scheme, the roadmap underlines.
Several working groups have been set up since the first international conference on phasing out fossil fuels held by "57 pioneering countries" — including Germany — in Colombia in April, the ministry said, to strengthen international co-operation on key issues relating to the phase-out. The presidencies of this year's UN Cop 31 climate summit in Turkey in November are also aiming to accelerate global electrification further, the ministry said.
