Federal government approves national roadmap to phase out fossil fuels by 2045

The federal government has approved a national roadmap for phasing out oil, gas and coal in the cabinet. Germany no longer wants to use fossil fuels by 2045 at the latest, according to the 22-page document that is available to the pro-newsletter “Energy & Climate” from the news magazine “Politico”. “Overall, the federal government will work towards decarbonizing the power plant fleet in line with the climate goals by 2045 at the latest,” it says verbatim.

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) wants to present the so-called “roadmap for the gradual move away from fossil fuels” at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday afternoon.

The plan is becoming public in the middle of one of the largest oil and gas crises of modern times. In Germany, fuel prices rose to record levels last week. Schneider has repeatedly emphasized that moving away from oil, gas and coal is the only solution to making Germany's energy supply independent and secure. The Federal Environment Ministry (BMUKN) is committed to expanding renewable energies and electrification.

In the document, the federal government states that Germany has “consistently” taken the path of gradually moving away from fossil fuels. At the same time, it recognizes that “fossil fuels will continue to be used for a transitional period.” The Federal Republic is committed to “taking all technical measures to reduce methane emissions from the production of fossil raw materials”.

“The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is inextricably linked to the gradual move away from the energetic use of fossil fuels,” it continues. In the roadmap, the federal government confirms that it stands by the German and international climate goals. There were discussions during this legislative period, particularly about the European climate goals - for example, when Economics Minister Katherina Reiche questioned the EU's Net Zero target on the international stage in March.

Germany is the third country to present a plan to phase out fossil energy. The idea behind it is to show how we want to concretely implement the phase-out of fossil fuels decided at the UN climate conference COP28. Schneider's roadmap brings together the political measures that Germany has already taken to decarbonize. It does not include any new measures. But Berlin hopes to inspire other countries.

“With its roadmap, Germany wants to create further momentum for this process so that as many countries as possible can concretize their respective plans,” writes the BMUKN in a press release that was previously available to “Politico”. "Our roadmap is intended to set an example internationally. I am sure that many other countries will follow," Schneider is quoted as saying.

At the international conference to move away from fossil fuels in Colombia in April, France was the first country to present a national roadmap. Last week the Netherlands followed suit.

In 2025, the Brazilian COP30 Presidency tried unsuccessfully to include an exit roadmap in negotiations at the UN Climate Change Conference. In October, Brazil will instead publish a – voluntary and non-binding – international roadmap to move away from fossil fuels.