Environmental Group Warns of Weakening Bavarian Climate Law

Munich – The environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. (DUH) has warned against a planned reform of Bavaria's state climate protection law, which the group claims would significantly weaken the state's climate protection targets. The proposed changes aim to remove Bavaria's own goals, set in 2022, for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2040.

According to DUH, the proposal would replace these ambitious targets with a reference to Germany's average per capita emissions. The organization deems this benchmark entirely inadequate, as Bavaria's emissions are already lower than the national average, partly due to statistical reasons such as the absence of coal-fired power plants. DUH contends that the reform would result in Bavaria slowing its emission reduction pace to match the rest of Germany.

The environmental group also criticizes the state government's justification that key climate policy competencies lie primarily with the federal government and the EU. DUH emphasizes that Bavaria possesses significant opportunities for action across various sectors, including transport, agriculture, and energy policy. For instance, the organization suggests investing in public transport and cycling infrastructure, as well as accelerating the expansion of renewable energy.

DUH urges the Bavarian state parliament to reject the legislative proposal and maintain the existing climate targets. The organization also calls for annual monitoring and automatic corrective measures if the achievement of goals is jeopardized. Furthermore, DUH believes the state's climate action program needs fundamental revision, with effective new measures being adopted across all sectors.