The German government will propose to significantly raise the country’s greenhouse gas reduction targets and will aim for climate neutrality as early 2045, said finance minister Olaf Scholz and environment minister Svenja Schulze in Berlin. Within days of Germany’s Constitutional Court ruling parts of the country’s climate law insufficient, the coalition partners attempt to present their solution to the judges’ criticism.

Schulze said the government coalition of her Social Democrats (SPD) and chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives (CDU/CSU) has reached an agreement, and the cabinet will present a reform text for the country’s Climate Action Law next week. This will propose to

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 (current target: 55%)

• reduce emissions by 88 percent by 2040 (currently no target)

• reach greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 (Germany currently aims for 2050)

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