Germany announces climate plan for reducing emissions and fossil fuels

Germany announced plans to help it achieve its 2030 climate targets and reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports. It has made 8 billion euros (9.28 billion dollars) available for the implementation of these measures.

The long-awaited programme of 67 points is not only a response from Berlin to climate change concerns, but also to growing concerns about the soaring prices for energy and disruptions in oil and gas flows due to the Iran War.

Europe's largest economy wants to achieve climate neutrality by 2045 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at least by 65% since 1990. However, so far the reduction is only 48%, and experts claim that existing policies are not sufficient.

Plans include an increase in wind turbine capacity, plans to boost sales of electric vehicles, and support for the shift to low-carbon technology?in industry.

According to the Environment Ministry, the result of this will be a reduction of more than 25 million tonnes CO2 by the end of the decade and nearly 7 billion cubic metres of natural gas, as well as 4 billion litres petrol, by 2030.

Carsten Schneider, Environment Minister, said: "We modernise the economy, make society more resilient, and help nature so it can help us." Reporting by Holger and Madeline Chambers, editing by Matthias Williams.

(source: Reuters)