#FridaysForFuture: Facts and Figures

On Friday, 20 September 2019, the #FridaysForFuture climate strike, expected to be the largest ever, will mobilise across Germany. The German Government and the “climate cabinet” are due to announce key decisions on a package of measures required to implement the Climate Action Plan 2050 the same day.

The Oeko-Institut supports the school students’ campaign for more action on climate change. Anke Herold, Acting CEO of the Oeko-Institut, emphasises the importance of the demonstrations: “The ongoing protests by the Fridays for Future movement underline the urgent need for action from politicians,” she says. “We need climate legislation and an effective climate package, particularly for transport, the building sector and agriculture. Improved support is also required for the delivery of the energy transition so that the expansion of renewable energies speeds up the coal phase-out. There are enough proposed solutions from the scientific community on the table. It’s time to put them into operation, starting now.”

Climate scenarios reveal the need for action

The Oeko-Institut has produced various studies highlighting the urgent need for climate protection measures to be adopted across all sectors – energy, industry, buildings, transport and agriculture – and for clear pathways towards greenhouse gas emissions reductions in each sector to be defined in climate legislation. And in line with the recommendations made by the German Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment (Coal Commission), the coal phase-out must be passed into law as soon as possible.

Climate Protection Scenario 2050 (Second final report): study conducted by the Oeko-Institut on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety

Assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts of the sector targets for 2030 of the Federal Government's Climate Action Plan 2050: study by the Oeko-Institut

<link publikationen p-details folgenabschaetzung-zu-den-oekologischen-sozialen-und-wirtschaftlichen-folgewirkungen-der-sektorziele>Zusammenfassung der „Folgenabschätzung des Klimaschutzplans der Bundesregierung“ des Öko-Instituts (= Summary of the Oeko-Institut’s Impact Assessment of the Federal Government’s Climate Action Plan)

Klimaschutz im Verkehr: Maßnahmen zur Erreichung des Sektorziels 2030: study by the Oeko-Institut and ICCT on behalf of Agora Verkehrswende (= Climate Protection in Transport: Measures to achieve the sector target for 2030)

<link publikationen p-details klimaneutraler-gebaeudebestand-2050>A Climate-Neutral Building Stock in 2050: study by the Oeko-Institut and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE)

<link publikationen p-details quantifizierung-von-massnahmenvorschlaegen-der-deutschen-zivilgesellschaft-zu-thg-minderungspotenzia>Quantifizierung von Maßnahmenvorschlägen der deutschen Zivilgesellschaft zu THG-Minderungspotenzialen in der Landwirtschaft bis 2030: study by the Oeko-Institut (= Quantifying measures proposed by German civil society on the potential for GHG reductions in agriculture to 2030)

<link publikationen p-details rechtliche-fragen-zum-klimaschutzplan-1>Rechtliche Fragen zum Klimaschutzplan: assessment by the Oeko-Institut (= Legal issues relating to the Climate Action Plan)

The cost of inaction … up to 38 billion euros

Emissions from Germany’s transport, building sector, agriculture and industry decreased by 8% between 2005 and 2018. Germany has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 14% by 2020 and by 38% by 2030. If it misses these targets, it will be required to purchase additional Annual Emission Allowances (AEAs) under the EU’s Effort Sharing Regulation. The Oeko-Institut calculates that the associated costs to 2030 could be as high as 38 billion euros.

Abschätzung des erforderlichen Zukaufs an Annual Emission Allowances (AEA) im Rahmen des Europäischen Effort Sharings: brief study by the Oeko-Institut (= Assessment of the additional purchases of Annual Emission Allowances (AEA) required as a result of the European effort-sharing scheme)

Protecting the climate – the equitable approach

The Oeko-Institut also recently showed how the introduction of climate tools can be fair and equitable. According to the institute, for example, it is quite feasible to impose a carbon levy on CO₂ emissions from petrol, diesel, heating oil and natural gas. Adding the levy to the energy tax is a quicker and easier option than an emissions trading scheme, so the climate benefits will start sooner. Revenue from this price mechanism could be refunded to consumers, mainly to ease the financial burden on low-income households.

Wie eine CO2-Bepreisung sozial ausgewogen wirkt: study by the Oeko-Institut and FU Berlin (= Towards equitable carbon pricing)

<link aktuelles emissionshandel-oder-co2-preise-eine-analyse>Emissionshandel oder CO2-Preise? Information from the Oeko-Institut (= Emissions trading or carbon pricing?)

<link presse archiv-pressemeldungen co2-zuschlag-zur-energiesteuer-rechtlich-unbedenklich>CO2-Zuschlag zur Energiesteuer rechtlich unbedenklich: Information from the Oeko-Institut (= No legal obstacles to a carbon levy on the energy tax)

Further information on climate protection and the energy transition

The energy transition: Oeko-Institut website

The Oeko-Institut’s climate blog: #Klimaschutz

Oeko-Institut infographics on various environmental and sustainability topics