Climate: Germany supports global electricity target for 2035

Ahead of the world climate conference in Antalya, the federal government is relying on more electricity for final energy. At the same time, according to Copernicus, the 1.5 degree mark is almost certain to be exceeded in 2026.

Berlin. Germany supports a new international goal of increasing the share of electricity in global final energy consumption to 35 percent by 2035. The federal government has decided to join this initiative of Türkiye and Australia, said Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) on Friday before the start of the COP31 world climate conference in Antalya, Turkey.

“Other countries will follow, so I am confident that at the World Climate Conference I will be able to send a strong signal to the global markets that the future belongs to modern and efficient electrical technologies,” said Schneider.

The aim is to reduce dependence on fossil energy sources such as oil, gas and coal. To this end, more electric cars, heat pumps and electrical production processes should be used in industry, among other things. So far, only a fifth of the world's total final energy consumption is covered by electricity.

The initiative was presented in June by the Turkish presidency of the World Climate Conference. It is not legally binding and does not provide for uniform national targets.

The government factions of the Union and SPD also support the goal. In a joint motion, they call on the federal government to advocate for the 35 percent target at the World Climate Conference. The Bundestag should vote on the application on Friday. The climate conference begins on Monday and lasts until November 20th.

In the morning, the EU climate change service Copernicus announced that by 2026 global warming will almost certainly pass the 1.5 degree mark compared to pre-industrial times.

This would be the second time after 2024, the service said. However, the target is only considered to have been officially achieved on average over several years.

While the climate conference is imminent, there are also discussions in Brussels. At a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels, a majority voted that importers of oil, gas and coal will only have to follow EU climate protection rules for the climate-damaging greenhouse gas methane from 2028, a year later than previously planned. This was announced by the current Irish Council Presidency.

The one-year postponement is also intended to avoid additional pressure on the security of supply of imported fossil fuels.

There was initially disagreement in the federal government about the project. Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider confirmed that he wanted to stick to reducing methane emissions. Energy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) was open to more flexibility. Schneider now said that they had decided to agree, even if it was not his “very first wish”.