Costs and Potentials of Greenhouse Gas Abatement in Germany available! (News-Meldung der Initiative „Wirtschaft für Klimaschutz“)
1. November 2007
The English version of the climate study "Costs and Potentials of Greenhouse Gas Abatement in Germany" has become available! It was conducted by McKinsey on behalf of "BDI initiativ - Business for climate protection" go to study
German business believes there are many ways in which it can work with government to unleash further potential for reducing greenhouse gases and taking further steps towards a low-carbon economy. But this must be achieved through a balance of ecological and economic criteria, include a cost-benefit analysis and be based on joint action.
We commissioned McKinsey to conduct a study into the “Costs and Potentials of Greenhouse Gas Abatement in Germany” and believe that the findings suggest many different and varied approaches to tackling the issue. We call upon the German government to utilise the findings of the study in its activities and to initiate appropriate measures to improve the level of acceptance of new technologies, so that we will be able to use our innovative technologies in a way which effectively contributes to climate protection.
If the binding climate and energy targets agreed by the EU in March 2007 – and which have been made more concrete at national level in Germany through the Meseberg roadmap – are to be implemented, the burden to reduce emissions to the levels agreed (a reduction of greenhouse gases of at least 20%, a share of 20% of renewable energies in the energy mix by 2020) must be divided up more fairly between the EU member states. Germany’s contribution to international efforts to protect our climate should be defined on the basis of cost optimisation and reduction potential, which differ according to sector. The study provides an orientation guide for this, based on solid research and presented in the form of a “price list” (costs from decision-makers’ viewpoint).
The “BDI initiative - Business for Climate Protection” hopes the study will lay the foundation stone for a process ofincreased cooperation between the federal government and society. We intend a “revised edition” of the study which will evaluate progress made on implementing current findings and update and expand the database on the package of technological levers.