Germany: environment

How much greenhouse gas does Germany emit?

Germany emitted 649 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (CO2 equivalent) in 2025, 0.1% less than in 2024 and 48.2% less than in 1990, according to the German Environment Agency's greenhouse gas emissions page. The largest reductions in 2025 came from the energy sector, which used less fossil fuel to generate electricity and heat.

The total excludes emissions and removals from land use and forestry. Figures for the latest year are first estimates and are revised when the full inventory is submitted to the UN the following year. Under the Federal Climate Change Act, emissions must fall at least 65% from 1990 levels by 2030.

Official sources: UBA: greenhouse gas emissions in Germany · Federal Climate Change Act, section 3

What are Germany's climate targets?

Germany must cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% compared with 1990 by 2030 and by at least 88% by 2040, and reach net greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045, according to section 3 of the Federal Climate Change Act, published by the Federal Ministry of Justice. After 2050, Germany aims for negative emissions.

Progress can be measured against the German Environment Agency's emissions data, which show a 48.2% reduction by 2025. The Act also sets annual emission budgets and requires the government to act when projections show a target will be missed.

Official sources: Federal Climate Change Act, section 3 · UBA: greenhouse gas emissions in Germany

Where does Germany's electricity come from?

59.1% of the electricity produced and fed into the grid in Germany in the first half of 2026 came from renewable sources, up from 58.0% a year earlier, according to Destatis press release No. 317 of 8 September 2026. Total generation was 230.6 billion kWh. Wind was the largest single source, at 67.7 billion kWh or 29.4%, followed by coal, solar and natural gas. Conventional sources supplied 40.9%.

These are provisional figures for electricity fed into the grid, so they exclude power that producers use themselves. Destatis also reports that electricity imports fell 8.7% and exports rose 14.9%.

Official sources: Destatis: electricity generation in the first half of 2026

What share of Germany's energy is renewable?

Renewable sources covered 23.8% of Germany's gross final energy consumption in 2025, 1.3 percentage points more than in 2024, according to the German Environment Agency's renewable energy in figures. The share was 55.1% for electricity consumption, 19.0% for heating and 8.0% for transport. The target for 2030 is 41% of gross final energy consumption.

The share of electricity is much higher than the share of all energy because heating and transport still rely mainly on gas and oil. Biomass supplied about 48% of renewable energy, wind 25% and solar 19%. The figures follow the calculation rules of the EU Renewable Energy Directive.

Official sources: UBA: renewable energy in figures

How clean is the air in Germany?

Germans were exposed to an average of 7.3 micrograms of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) per cubic metre in 2023, about 54% less than the 15.9 µg/m³ of 2010, according to the German Environment Agency's population-weighted PM2.5 indicator. The agency attributes the fall to lower emissions from power plants, industry, household heating and traffic.

The indicator weights measured concentrations by where people live. Current readings from monitoring stations are published by the agency in near real time, and local values in busy streets can be higher than the national average.

Official sources: UBA: population-weighted fine particulate exposure (PM2.5)

How hot was summer 2026 in Germany?

Summer 2026 averaged 19.6°C in Germany, 3.3 degrees above the 1961–1990 reference period and 2.0 degrees above 1991–2020, according to the Deutscher Wetterdienst's summer 2026 review of 31 August 2026. Only the summer of 2003 (19.7°C) is provisionally thought to have been warmer. A new German record of 41.8°C was measured at Möckern-Drewitz in Saxony-Anhalt on 27 June.

The DWD counted about 22 hot days of at least 30°C and about five of at least 35°C on the national average, with the south and southwest most affected. The figures are preliminary and based on the national station network, which goes back to 1881.

Official sources: DWD: German weather in summer 2026

What are Germany's CO2 emissions per person?

The European Commission's EDGAR database puts carbon dioxide emissions per person in Germany at 6.9 tonnes in 2024. No year since 2005 has been lower. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 5.1 tonnes, and Germany placed 11th highest of 46. Worldwide: 32nd of 186.

What are Germany's emissions?

In 2024, total greenhouse gas emissions in Germany was 674 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. That is the lowest since at least 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 53.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and Germany placed 2nd highest of 46. Of 186 countries with 2024 data, 12th highest.

How much of Germany's energy is renewable?

17.6%: that is the renewable share of final energy use in Germany for 2021, according to the IEA, IRENA, the UN Statistics Division, the World Bank and the WHO. Its high point since 2005 was 2020, at 18.5%; its low point was 2005, at 7.3%. It is 31st highest of 50 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 20.4%. Worldwide: 115th of 191.

How much of Germany is forest?

32.8%: that is forest area as a share of land in Germany for 2024, according to the FAO. That is the highest since at least 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 33.2%, and Germany placed 28th highest of 51. Worldwide: 98th of 190.

What is air pollution like in Germany?

According to the Global Burden of Disease study, average exposure to fine particle air pollution (PM2.5) in Germany was 8.8 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 13.0 micrograms per cubic metre, and Germany placed 38th highest of 51. Of 192 countries with 2023 data, 162nd highest.

How much of Germany's land is protected?

The UN Environment Programme puts the share of land in protected areas in Germany at 39.2% in 2025. The peak was 39.3% in 2024 and the low 37.4% in 2014. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 22.1%, and Germany placed 5th highest of 51. Worldwide: 14th of 192.

How much of Germany's fresh water is used?

In 2022, water stress in Germany was 35.4%, according to the FAO. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 55.3%; its low point was 2016, at 33.5%. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 12.6%, and Germany placed 12th highest of 47. Of 175 countries with 2022 data, 46th highest.