Seven facts about the transformation of German industry.
German industry is becoming more environmentally friendly, drawing on the concerted efforts of policymakers, business and scientists.
Industry is responsible for 22% of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. For the energy transition to succeed, this figure must be reduced.
Germany’s climate protection regulations allow German industry to emit 120 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2030, almost 60 million tonnes less than in 2020.
By 2045, German businesses are to be allowed net zero greenhouse gas emissions, making them effectively climate neutral.
A new funding programme for climate protection contracts aims to reduce 350 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in Germany by 2045. The contracts aim to promote modern, climate-friendly manufacturing processes in energy-intensive industrial sectors, such as the paper, glass, steel and chemicals industries.
For businesses to be eligible for funding from a climate protection contract, up to 100% of the electricity they use will have to come from renewable sources.
Eighteen partners from industry and academia, such as Thyssenkrupp, Siemens, the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, and the universities of Aachen and Bochum have joined up to form the Carbon2Chem project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research. The project aims to take unavoidable carbon emissions from industry and use them as a raw material in the chemicals industry, achieving a resource-efficient circularity.
The Future of Industry alliance brings together 17 partners from trade unions, business and employers’ associations, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. The alliance’s goals include addressing environmental challenges facing industry.
