Germany Marks Earth Overshoot Day Amid New Renewable Energy Policy Shift FAST-MOVING

Earth Overshoot Day fell on 30 July, the date when humanity’s resource consumption exceeds the planet’s annual ecological capacity. The German environment group BUND warned that “for the rest of the year we are plundering a future that does not belong to us.”

On the same day the German coalition government approved a reform of the Renewable‑Energy Act (EEG) and a new network package. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said the agreement creates a “reliable framework for a new phase of renewable expansion and grid development to reach 80 % renewable electricity by 2030.” The reforms phase out state subsidies for small rooftop solar installations from 2027, require operators to market their electricity themselves, and reduce compensation for new wind and solar plants in regions with overloaded grids. The cabinet also limits new wind construction in “capacity‑limited” network areas, aiming to ease the north‑south transmission bottlenecks that have hindered renewable uptake.