Bavaria proposes delaying climate neutrality goal to 2045

The Bavarian state government, led by the CSU and Free Voters, is proposing an amendment to the state's climate protection law that would delay the goal of climate neutrality from 2040 to 2045. This shift aims to align Bavarian targets with federal German standards. Under the new draft, the specific requirement to reduce per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels would be replaced by a mandate to keep emissions below the national average.

During a hearing in the Bavarian State Parliament, scientific experts expressed strong opposition to the plan. Physicist Harald Lesch criticized the amendment, stating that the law would fail to protect both the climate and the people. Experts noted that while the draft improves vulnerability analysis, it suffers from significant implementation weaknesses, particularly regarding heat protection and the lack of binding commitments. Concerns were also raised regarding the urgent need for better energy storage solutions and local-level support to combat the effects of extreme drought and evaporation currently impacting the region.