Greenhouse gas emissions in Germany fell significantly in 2020. Not least because of Corona.
CO2 emissions in Germany fell in 2020. According to data from the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), 739 million tons of greenhouse gases were released, 70 million tons less than in the previous year. Traffic has also contributed to the decrease.
The largest decrease was in the energy sector with 38 million tons. With around 221 million tons of CO2 equivalents, the emissions were well below the annual emissions of 280 million tons permitted in the Federal Climate Protection Act. According to the UBA, the reasons for the development include the successful reform of the European emissions trading system and the increased share of renewable energies as well as the lower electricity consumption in the wake of the Corona crisis.
There was also a corona effect in traffic. Greenhouse gas emissions there were 146 tons, 19 tons lower than in the previous year. According to the UBA, the main part of the reduction is due to the fact that fewer cars were driven during the first lockdown, especially on the long journeys. A smaller part is due to lower CO2 emissions from new cars, which can be attributed to both the increasing proportion of electric cars and the increased admixture of bio-fuels. The authority also sees a clear corona effect in domestic air traffic, which caused almost 60 percent less CO2 than in 2019. On the other hand, there was no effect in truck traffic; the mileage was at the level of the previous year.
In the other large areas, emissions also fell. In industry by 9 million to 178 million tons, in buildings by 3 million to 120 million tons and in agriculture by 1,5 million to 66 million tons.