Germany to abandon fossil fuels by 2045. How does the rest of Europe compare?

Germany has unveiled a roadmap to end its fossil fuel reliance by 2045, becoming the third in Europe to do so.

Despite almost 200 nations pledging at the UN COP28 climate summit in 2023 to wean off coal, oil and gas, Germany’s environment ministry said yesterday (23 September) that very few have presented concrete plans.

Transitioning away from fossil fuels also became a flashpoint discussion at last year’s COP30 talks in Belém, despite not being on the official agenda. More than 90 countries backed the idea of a roadmap that would allow each nation to set out its own targets to phase out fossil fuels.

However, all mentions of this were scrubbed from the final deal in the last hours of the summit, as several large, oil-producing nations - so-called petro states - blocked the move.

Germany to abandon fossil fuels by 2045

Germany, which is Europe’s largest economy, says it will now focus on building up renewable power and a greater reliance on electric vehicles (EVs).

It will also use the European Union’s carbon trading schemes to drive industrial polluters away from fossil fuels.

Environment Minister Castern Schneider says the war on Iran, which has sent oil and gas prices skyrocketing, shows why fossil fuels should be dumped.

“It’s not just extreme weather events around the world that demonstrate how urgently we need to do more to protect the climate,” he adds.

“If the situation in the Strait of Hormuz determines whether people can still afford their daily commute to work, that is not a good state of affairs.”

‘A roadmap is only the starting line’

Germany’s roadmap comes after the UN Secretary-General's Climate Summit, where António Guterres urged all governments to adopt formal national plans to transition away from fossil fuels with clear timelines and aligned with the Paris Agreement.

“Accelerating the shift from coal, oil and gas to clean renewables will bolster energy independence and insulate consumers from price shocks at a critical moment,” Jennifer Morgan, former German climate envoy, says.

“However, a roadmap is only the starting line. To truly deliver, this strategy must be backed by a faster, more deliberate and just phase-out paired with the rollout of green electrification.”

How does the rest of Europe compare?

Earlier this year, France became the first European country to publish a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels. The country pledged to end its reliance on polluting oil and gas by 2050, a less ambitious goal compared to Germany.

Under the roadmap, France’s last two coal-fired power stations will close by 2027. It is also aiming for two out of every three new cars sold in the country to be electric by 2030, supported by expanding charging infrastructure and increased electrification of buses and heavy goods vehicles.

Earlier this month, the Netherlands also unveiled a national plan to move away from fossil fuels as part of its new National Energy System Plan. However, the plan lacks a binding end date for fossil fuel use.

“The targets in the roadmaps by France, the Netherlands and Germany still fall short of what is needed to improve energy security by lowering the dependence on volatile and high fossil fuel imports,” says Linda Kalcher of European think tank Strategic Perspectives.

Laurie Van Der Burg from Oil Change International argues that Germany deserves credit for its commitment to phase out fossil fuels.

“But Germany’s government’s efforts to play the role of climate leader are not commensurate with the reality of the crisis, or its responsibility as a wealthy, historic emitter,” she adds.

“If Germany is serious about economic prosperity, energy security and affordability it should end its fossil fuel finance, strengthen its national roadmap and redirect public money toward a resilient and affordable renewable energy future.”