climate
Expert advice: Greenhouse gases slightly reduced in 2022
In the field of energy, the industry is increasingly relying on hard coal and lignite, but also on more renewable energies. photo
© Sebastian Kahnert/dpa
Independent experts have checked the greenhouse gas calculations and have now presented their results.
Germany emitted fewer greenhouse gases last year than in 2021. Corresponding calculations by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) essentially confirmed the Expert Council for Climate Issues in a report published in Berlin on Monday. However, the final figures will not be known until the beginning of next year.
Emissions fell slightly by 1.9 percent in 2022, according to the expert council, like the Federal Environment Agency before it. Around 746 million tons of greenhouse gases were released, a good 15 million tons less than in 2021. Economic growth, which was lower than expected due to the Ukraine war, dampened emissions.
Both the transport and the building sector missed their annual climate target, with increasing emissions in the transport sector and falling emissions in the building sector. Emissions in the energy sector rose significantly – more hard coal and lignite was burned there – but the climate target could be met.
The traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP wants to reform the climate protection law and relax the requirements. In the future, the total emission of greenhouse gases will count, the balance of individual areas will be less important.