Climate | Energy

The German Environment Agency (UBA) has proposed aligning VAT more closely with ecological and social criteria. The core of the "Climate and Environment Relief Package" is to exempt plant-based staple foods such as fruit, vegetables, grain products and vegetable oils and public passenger transport from VAT altogether.

The competition for the federal "Blauer Kompass" award for exemplary climate change adaptation projects has set a new record number of participants this year. Of the 240 entries received by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and German Environment Agency (UBA), 20 outstanding projects have now been nominated for the award.

Switching to climate-friendly refrigeration and air conditioning holds tremendous greenhouse gas emissions savings potential, but the switch to natural refrigerants poses a great challenge for many businesses. The new initiative “Climate-friendly Cooling and Air-Conditioning with Natural Refrigerants” brings together relevant players in industry.

Temporary play streets, street sponsors, a cargo cycle festival or a “walking machine parade” are among the diverse actions promoting more sustainable mobility which cities, municipalities and nonmunicipal actors such as businesses, associations and schools registered in the competition. Fürstenfeldbruck, Karlsruhe, Kassel and Leipzig are winners of national prize for European Mobility Week.

After a significant decline in the previous year, greenhouse gas emissions in Germany are on the rise again. Some 762 million tonnes of greenhouse gases were released in 2021 – just over 33 million tonnes, or 4.5 percent more than in 2020. Overall, emissions in Germany have fallen by 38.7 percent since 1990. The increase in 2021 is particularly noticeable in the energy sector.

Against the background of the war in Ukraine, the German Environment Agency is making an appeal for more economical energy consumption. It is easy for private households to help in the effort: turn down the thermostat, install a water saving showerhead and drive cars less and at slower speed. All these measures can be realized immediately and cost little to no money.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change presented the second part of its 6th Assessment Report. The current report focuses on the consequences of climate change and on climate change adaptation. The IPCC warns that the climate risks for ecosystems and humankind are growing rapidly worldwide. Determined climate action and early adaptation to climate change are the only way to reduce risks.

Germany emitted 728.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents in 2020. This is around 71 million tonnes or 8.9% less than in 2019, and 41.3% less compared to 1990, according to the results of final calculations submitted by the German Environment Agency (UBA) to the European Commission. Emissions have fallen most significantly in the energy sector.

About 500 German undertakings are obliged to include sustainability-related information in their annual reports. According to the plans of the EU Commission more undertakings shall report in the future and apply uniform reporting standards. A study on behalf of UBA recommends precise requirements for reporting on targets, actions and performance indicators and corporate greenhouse gas neutrality.

Applications are accepted starting today for the Blauer Kompass, Germany’s highest state award for climate change adaptation projects. The application deadline is 25 March 2022.

The EU Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS) generated 5.3 billion euros for Germany through auctioning in 2021, a sum double that in 2020. An additional 7.2 billion euros was generated through sales of certificates in the new national emissions trading system (nEHS), which came into effect in 2021 and targets the heat and transport sectors.

In a study for the German Environment Agency, a research team from Öko-Institut and Ecologic Institute has examined the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) for global climate action and international climate policy. The results show that their potential to mitigate emissions is probably overestimated in the literature. Nevertheless, NbS can bring various benefits and should be promoted actively.