German minister aims to put the brakes on green targets

13 April 2026

For decades, German governments of all political parties have been amongst the most enthusiastic in the European Union to combat the threats of runaway climate change. It has long fervently supported the most ambitious policies towards achieving net zero. Until now.

The largest and richest country in the EU 27, Germany has  been a cheerleader persuading all 27 governments to back 90% emission  reductions from 1990 levels by 2040. And for 100% net zero to be achieved by 2050. This is the target adopted by the UK back in 2019.

But now Germany’s energy and economy minister, Katherina Reiche, has stated that the EU must loosen its “rigid adherence” to “climate neutrality”, and put up with missing its 2050 net zero goal, even by up to 10%.

Arguing for “different solutions and technologies” that might “leave a gap” in emission reductions, she states that  having “strict and rigid goals” can end up “losing industries that you need… and we can’t afford to lose our energy intensive industries.”

Recently Reiche has unveiled plans to build more gas-fired power stations,  scrap the phaseout of residential gas boilers, remove subsidies for solar panels, and deprioritise the connection of renewables to the grid.

She dropped this bombshell, not at a meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels, and certainly not when speaking to fellow lawmakers in Berlin, but at a conference for oilmen in Texas, USA – the one developed country that has very publicly retracted from earlier net zero climate change commitments.

Reiche, a 52-year-old born in communist East Germany, was employed by fossil fuel company E.ON before becoming a minister.