BERLIN, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The German government on Wednesday adopted a climate plan that includes an additional 8 billion euros (about 9 billion U.S. dollars) of funding over the next four years. However, critics said the plan would not go far enough to ensure the country meets its climate targets.
The plan sets out 67 measures covering the energy, industry, buildings, transport and agriculture sectors, as concerns grow over rising energy prices and possible disruptions to oil and gas supplies due to the war in Iran.
The Environment Ministry said the measures would cut more than 25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2030, helping reduce Germany's reliance on fossil fuel imports. It would also save almost 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas and around 4 billion liters of gasoline by 2030.
A central element of the plan is an acceleration of wind power expansion, including an additional 12 gigawatts of onshore wind capacity, equivalent to around 2,000 wind turbines. The plan also incorporates previously announced measures, continued funding until 2030 for the Deutschlandticket, a nationwide public transport pass, and an income-based subsidy scheme for around 800,000 electric cars.
Germany aims to become climate-neutral by 2045 but projections from the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) suggest the country may miss its self-imposed goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent from 1990 levels by 2030. Emissions have fallen by about 48 percent so far.
The UBA estimates Germany is on track to reduce emissions by 62.6 percent by 2030 compared with 1990, leaving a gap of about 30 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Tagesschau, the flagship news program of German public broadcaster ARD, said that a recent decline in emissions has slowed, partly because emissions in the transport and buildings sectors continue to rise.
After the cabinet approved the strategy, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said it would provide "new impetus for climate action" and reduce Germany's dependence on costly and unreliable oil and gas imports.
Schneider said meeting the 2030 target would require a "tremendous" effort, but he believed it is still achievable. "The plan pursued three goals -- to give climate policy fresh momentum, reduce social polarization around the issue and support an economy burdened by high oil and gas costs," he said.
However, some experts disagree. Claudia Kemfert, an energy expert at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), said the strategy's calculations are "too optimistic" and subject to "considerable uncertainty" because they rely heavily on subsidy programs and voluntary measures.
Meanwhile, parliamentary group leader for the Green party Katharina Droege said the plan is "a blatant deception," adding: "The environment minister is allowed to announce a few additional climate measures, while Reiche (Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche) works every day to undermine climate action." Droege accused the economy minister of slowing the expansion of renewable energy and heat pumps.
