Germany's Federal Climate Change Act, first enacted on December 18, 2019, sets legally binding greenhouse gas reduction targets and was significantly amended in 2021 to increase ambition, aiming for 65% reduction by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2045. The law includes sector-specific annual emission budgets, but a 2024 amendment weakened it by requiring the overall climate target for all sectors combined must be reached and removing the requirement for immediate action programs when sectors exceed their annual limits.
The Act includes emission mitigation components with specific targets: at least 65% reduction by 2030, 88% by 2040, and net greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045, compared to 1990 levels. It also establishes measures such as mandatory climate action programs for each new government, annual climate action reports, and an independent Council of Experts on Climate Change to monitor progress and provide recommendations.