How do targets to reach net zero compare across Europe?

1 comment

1. The official net zero target in Germany is 2045, which is 5 years before the EU and Paris goal of 2050. So it’s little more than 20 years and personally I have some doubts if it’s realistic or even desirable if we focus all our effort on going the last mile until 2045 when it would be more efficient to reduce emissions elsewhere.

   The British decision to water down climate policy didn’t dominate the front pages in German news but it was reported by all major news media as a secondary news story.

   I didn’t go really deep into the details but from what I understood it seems quite similar to the situation in Germany. The final date to ban emission cars should be moved to 2035 which is also the EU target, hence the German target.

   The requirement to use heat pumps in newly built houses is to be abolished in Britain. Precisely this topic was the hottest debate in Germany for most of spring and summer this year. Initially the green-led climate ministry put forward a very far reaching bill, then there was a massive public outcry and in the end a very watered down version was passed as law a few weeks ago.