The German Environmental Aid Foundation has announced that it will take the federal government to court to enforce a 2024 court ruling on climate protection. The move is revealed in a writ of execution filed by the environmental organization, which the Süddeutsche Zeitung (Thursday edition) has cited.
According to the document, the German state faces a potential fine of €10,000 if it fails to implement the ruling of the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court by September. The court had ruled in May 2024 on the federal government’s climate protection program, specifically regarding the guidelines and measures for land and forest use.
The Climate Protection Act obliges the federal government to implement so-called “sinks” that extract greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. However, the court found that the German climate protection program lacked corresponding measures, thus not meeting the legal requirements.
The ruling had acquired legal force in September, after the Federal Ministry for the Environment had decided not to appeal the decision. “We did not find any grounds for an appeal after a thorough review” a ministry spokesperson stated.
In the opinion of the environmental organization, the federal government should have reacted by September 2025 at the latest. If not, the organization demands that the fine become due. “We still live in a rule of law state” said Sascha Müller-Kraenner, the head of the German Environmental Aid Foundation.