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Germany

Federative (16 Bundesländer)
Political Groups
G20, OECD, EU
Global Climate Risk Index
61.33
Targets
World Bank Income Group
High income
Share of Global Emissions
1.45%

Documents

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·2023·Legislative

The Federal Climate Adaptation Act is Germany’s (separate) climate framework law aimed at strengthening climate adaptation to protect life and health, society, the economy and infrastructure as well as nature and ecosystems.Pursuant to the law, the government must present a precautionary climate adaptation strategy with measurable targets by the end of September 2023. The ...

·2023·Legislative

This regulation serves to establish measures in accordance with Section 11 Paragraph 3 of the Fuel Emissions Trading Act (BEHG) to prevent carbon leakage and to maintain the cross-border competitiveness of companies affected by the provisions of the BEHG, which result in higher fuel prices. Companies receiving subisidies under this Regulation must have made investment...

·2023·Policy

The update of the National Hydrogen Strategy adapts and develops the initial strategy from 2020.The updated strategy outlines the following goals for 2030:Accelerate the market ramp-up of hydrogen.Ensure sufficient availability of hydrogen and its derivatives. The target for domestic electrolysis capacity in 2030 is increased from 5 GW to at least 10 GW. The demand beyond ...

Legislative Process

Parliament is the most important organ of the legislative branch. The Federal Council is also involved in the legislative process as an organ through which the sixteen states participate in the legislation of the Federation. For federal laws to pass, they must obtain a majority in both chambers.

The Federal Government introduces most legislation, but the Federal Council and Parliament also have the right to introduce bills. After a first discussion in the Parliament the bill is passed to the Federal Council. A Mediation Committee resolves any differences over legislation between the two legislative chambers. Once the compromise bill that emerges from the Committee has been approved by a majority in both chambers and by the cabinet (comprising the Chancellor and cabinet ministers), it is signed into law by the Chancellor. The most recent election at a federal level was held in 2013 with the next scheduled in 2017.

The German Basic Law assigns no general legislative powers to the federal level in respect of environmental protection. Rather, the respective legisla­tive powers are separated for air pollution control, noise abatement, waste management, nature conservation and water supply. Environmental responsibili­ties that fall either to a limited extent under these sectoral responsibilities or are not covered by them at all, can under certain circumstances be covered by the legislative power of “law relating to economic affairs”. Legislation on climate change can in part be covered by the legislative area of “air pollution control” but must also be covered by the “law relating to economic affairs”. There is no uniform legislative area of climate change law.