BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s economy and transport ministries on Wednesday presented an emergency program to cut emissions in transport after the sector missed its 2021 carbon-dioxide reduction targets, threatening the country’s 2030 overall climate goals.
After a top court ruled last year that Germany must tighten its climate protection law, the then-government set more ambitious CO2 reduction targets, including being carbon neutral by 2045.
The new coalition government last year presented plans to step up climate protection efforts that entail far-reaching reforms for the utility sector and across manufacturing industries, buildings, transport and agriculture.
In March, Germany’s Environment Agency said CO2 emission in the country’s transport sector were at 148.1 million tonnes last year, missing its targeted 145 million tonnes.
The ministries had a deadline of July 13 to present an immediate program to ensure that sector would comply with annual emission targets in coming years.
The emergency program, announced by the transport ministry on Wednesday, pushes for expanding refueling and charging infrastructure for passenger and commercial vehicles and expands the funding for heavy commercial vehicles and cycling paths.
It earmarks an additional 250 million euros ($250.90 million)for cycling infrastructure by 2030.
The program will support a “digitisation push” to promote working from home as a way to cut transport emissions.
The measures could save around 13 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents by 2030 in the sector, compensating for the 2021 shortfall, the transport ministry said.
($1 = 0.9964 euros)
(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa and Markus Wacket; Editing by Miranda Murray)
