Germany has presented a roadmap for gradually reducing its reliance on coal, oil and natural gas, with Environment Minister Carsten Schneider outlining the plan at the United Nations in New York.
Germany is the third country, after France and the Netherlands, to publish such a roadmap following the 2023 UN climate conference in Dubai, where countries agreed to accelerate efforts to move away from fossil fuels.
The German government said the transition will focus on expanding renewable electricity and electrifying transport, heating and industrial processes. It aims to reach climate neutrality by 2045.
Fossil fuels accounted for 65% of Germany’s energy consumption in 2024, according to the Environment Ministry. Petroleum products represented 36%, natural gas 24% and coal 5%. Germany imported 98% of its petroleum products, 95% of its natural gas and all of its hard coal, with the combined cost of these imports reaching €76bn.
In electricity generation, renewables currently account for around 55% of gross electricity consumption. The government expects this share to reach at least 80% by 2030, alongside the planned coal phase-out by 2038 at the latest and continued expansion of the electricity grid.
Germany also plans to convert additional dispatchable gas-fired power plants to green hydrogen, with the aim of having a climate-neutral generation fleet by 2045.
The roadmap covers other sectors including transport, heating and industry. The government said electric vehicles, heat pumps, district heating and industrial electrification will progressively replace fossil fuel technologies, supported by investment programmes and EU carbon pricing measures.
Schneider said the roadmap was intended to combine climate policy with energy security and economic considerations.
“We must overcome our dependence on fossil fuels, and we can,” Schneider said. “Moving away from fossil fuels combines independence, affordability, and climate protection.”
Germany is also seeking to advance international cooperation on fossil fuel transitions, including through an energy transition partnership with South Africa focused on coal, electricity grids and renewable energy.
