Recently, the Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) published the long-awaited 2020 emissions data. The results, however, were not really unexpected. 

Although we were able to achieve a reduction of 8.7 % (the largest since the year of German unification in 1990), no one can rest on this success with regard to the extreme Corona restrictions. Indeed, about one third of the reductions can be attributed to the Corona pandemic, especially in the transport and energy sectors. 

What is the situation in the building sector?

In 2020, emissions were reduced by more than 3 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents (minus 2.8%) to 120 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. Nevertheless, the building sector thus exceeds its maximum according to the Climate Protection Act (Klimaschutzgesetz), which was 118 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. 

Even though fuel consumption fell in the commercial, trade and services sectors (13.5 %), emissions in households, on the other hand, rose slightly.

The federal environment minister, Svenja Schulze, therefore announced further rapid measures in the building sector.

Which sector does achieve its targets? 

The largest decrease in emissions was recorded by the energy sector with a reduction of 14.5 % (38 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents). With its 221 million tonnes of CO₂, this sector was well below the annual emission level of 280 million tonnes permitted by the Federal Climate Protection Act.

According to this Act, several factors explain this:

• The lower world market price for gas;
•  The higher use of renewable energies of 45 % of gross electricity consumption;
• The decline in gross electricity consumption by more than four per cent;
• The transfer of further lignite-fired power plant units to safety standby in autumn 2019;
• The successful reform of European emissions trading, which has led to higher CO₂ prices.

The average price for a tonne of CO₂ in 2020 was around 25 euros, despite the economic crisis.

This meant that coal-fired power plants were often more expensive to operate than gas-fired power plants, which emit less CO₂. This is how the CO₂ pricing had its full effect.

The phase-out of coal and the first shutdowns of lignite and hard coal-fired power plants at the end of 2020 will probably only have a significant impact on the climate balance in 2021.

What changes does the new Federal Climate Protection Act bring?

This year, emission data was presented as part of the new Federal Climate Protection Act. From 2020 onwards, this will set annual, continuously decreasing emission levels for the energy, industry, transport, buildings, agriculture, waste management and other sectors. In addition, the data will be reviewed in the future by the newly established Expert Council for Climate Issues (Expertenrat für Klimafragen). This council is then to present an assessment of the data within one month.

The Act stipulates that the Federal Ministry of Construction (Bundesbauministerium) then has three months to draw up an emergency programme to put the building sector back on track.

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