Germany barely meets climate targets in 2025, cuts emissions by 0.1%
Germany only narrowly met its climate targets last year as the decline in climate-damaging emissions slowed, according to official figures released on Saturday.
Around 649 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent were emitted across Germany last year, some 12.8 million tonnes less than the limit set by the national climate action law, according to the German Environment Agency (UBA).
Emissions fell by 0.1% compared to 2024, a drop described as insufficient by Environment Minister Carsten Schneider.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy and one of the continent’s top polluters, aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Although the agency says this goal remains within reach, with Germany having reduced its emissions by 48% compared to 1990, additional climate action is needed to achieve it.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative government, which has been accused of scaling back some climate measures in a bid to revive a struggling economy, plans to present a climate action plan later this month.
Germany’s economic woes have led to a drop in emissions across the industrial sector in 2025, according to official figures.
At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions in the energy and agriculture sectors remained largely unchanged from the previous year.
Emissions attributed to traffic and buildings increased last year, once again falling short of targets set for these sectors, the UBA said, calling for greater action in these areas.
