Germany Greenhouse Gas Output Rose in 2012 as Coal Use Surged
From Bloomberg
By Stefan Nicola
Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions rose 1.6 percent last year as more coal was burned to generate power, according to the Environment Ministry.
Carbon dioxide emissions led the increase with a 2 percent jump, the ministry said today, citing preliminary data from the Federal Environment Agency. Germany emitted 931 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents last year as the use of lignite rose 5.1 percent, it said.
“We must make sure that this was an exception and that it doesn’t become a trend that’s repeated,” Environment Minister Peter Altmaier said at a press conference today in Berlin. Germany needs the right incentives so that companies develop and use carbon-efficient technologies and turn to gas rather than coal to generate power, he said.
