Germany ‘can achieve climate neutrality by 2045’

A new study shows that the country can reach its target five years earlier

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Germany can achieve climate neutrality five years earlier than its planned goal, by 2045.

That’s according to a new study by the Climate Neutrality Foundation and the think tanks Agora Energiewende and Agora Verkehrswende, which suggests the first important step for the country’s climate neutrality by 2045 is a 65% reduction of emissions by 2030.

That would mean a need for the German energy sector to accelerate the phase-out of coal by 2030 instead of 2038 and expand renewable capacity in electricity generation.

The analysis also stresses the additional carbon reductions can be achieved through changes in heating systems, an expansion of heating networks and around a 50% increase in the green retrofit rate.

The authors of the report estimate these increased measures could help the country achieve carbon-neutrality by 2043 and climate neutrality by avoiding or offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions in 2045.

If the new accelerated measures are kept beyond 2045, Germany will likely have net negative emissions that could support the global climate fight, the report suggests.

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