Germany's Climate Struggles: Emissions Reduction Stalls in 2025

Germany's greenhouse gas emissions fell only marginally in 2025, according to Agora Energiewende. The country emitted 640 million tons of carbon dioxide, down 1.5% from the previous year. While meeting national targets, reductions were driven by lower industry output and record solar generation, but transport and buildings lagged.

Germany's greenhouse gas emissions saw a marginal decline of 1.5% in 2025, totalling 640 million tons, reports the energy think tank Agora Energiewende. While Germany met its national emissions targets, the progress was markedly weaker than in 2024.

The fall in emissions was primarily attributed to reduced output in energy-intensive sectors due to weak demand and challenging global market conditions, alongside record-breaking solar power generation. Nevertheless, the gains from the power sector were insufficient to offset the increased emissions from transport and buildings, which rose by 1.4% and 3.2% respectively.

Julia Blaesius, director of Agora Energiewende Germany, emphasized the critical role of wind and solar energies in the country's energy transition, but warned that the power sector alone cannot compensate for slow adoption of climate technologies in transport and construction.

(With inputs from agencies.)