Germany unveils climate plan to cut emissions, fossil fuels

Germany set out plans on Wednesday to help it meet 2030 climate targets and reduce its dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports, making 8 billion euros ($9.28 billion) available to implement the measures.

Although the long-awaited 67-point programmed is primarily a response to concerns that Berlin's climate goals are at risk, it comes amid growing fears about soaring energy prices and oil and gas flow disruption due to the Iran war.

Europe's biggest economy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% from 1990 levels by 2030 and to be climate neutral by 2045. So far, however, the reduction is only about 48% and experts say existing policies are insufficient.

The plans include an expansion of wind turbine capacity, schemes to boost electric vehicle sales, support for a shift to low-carbon technologies in industry and steps to help forests and soil.

The result will be savings of more than 25 million tones of CO2 by the end of the decade, said the environment ministry, and reductions of nearly seven billion cubic meters in natural gas and four billion liters of petrol by 2030.

"We are modernising the economy, making society more resilient to crises, and helping nature so it can help us," said Environment Minister Carsten Schneider.

($1 = 0.8617 euros)

-Reporting by Holger Hansen and Madeline Chambers; editing by Matthias Williams/Reuters