Germany's Car Industry Faces Stricter CO2 Limits Amid Rising Emissions
Germany's car industry, employing over 800,000 people and generating €400 billion in sales in 2015, faces stricter CO2 emission limits. A German minister recently expressed concerns about these limits, though their identity and party affiliation remain unclear. Meanwhile, Chancellor Merkel has dubbed the transport sector 'our big problem child' due to its high emissions.
In 2016, Germany emitted 909.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, with 166.8 million tonnes coming from the transport sector. To tackle this, the European Commission proposed reducing car emissions by 30% by 2030 and 15% by 2025. Electric cars could play a significant role, potentially reducing fleet CO2 emissions by 25/30% by 2025 and saving drivers around 1,000 euros compared to conventional cars.
Germany's transportation emissions have been rising in the past two years. The German parliament held a public hearing in June to discuss the European Commission's proposal on cars' CO2 emission limits for 2025/30. The German environment ministry has proposed reducing car emissions to -50% by 2030 and -25% by 2025 to meet climate protection targets. The transport sector is currently Germany's most emitting industrial sector.
The German car industry, a significant employer and economic contributor, is under pressure to reduce its emissions. With the transport sector being the most emitting industrial sector, the automobile sector is urged to make a relevant contribution to reducing emissions. The proposed stricter limits, though controversial, aim to tackle Germany's increasing transportation emissions and meet climate protection targets.
