BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s top court has ruled that the government has to set clear goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions after 2030, arguing that current law risks placing too much of a burden for curbing climate change on younger generations. Several people backed by environmental groups had complained to the Constitutional Court arguing that their rights were impinged by the lack of sufficient emissions targets beyond the next decade. Germany, like other European Union countries, aims to cut emissions 55% by 2030 compared with 1990. In their ruling Thursday, judges said current law “irreversibly pushes a very high burden of emissions reduction into the period after 2030.” One lawyer said this likely means Germany’s plans to phase out coal use by 2038 needs to be speeded up.
Court: Germany must share climate burden between young, old
