Energy & Climate Policymaking in Germany

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear safety (BMUB) is responsible for a range of government policies that are reflected in the name of the ministry itself. It works on creating policies on environment and climate change, resource efficiency, water management, waste management, and air pollution control, just to name a few.

The new Federal Ministry for Economy Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is responsible for all issues relating to the energy transition (Energiewende). Its goal is to ensure a secure, environmentally friendly and affordable energy supply. The BMWi will ensure that the energy transition becomes a driver for investment and modernisation that contribute to innovation, economy growth and employment – thus enabling Germany to remain a competitive economic location.

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is responsible for the government’s fuel strategy and co-ordination of the energy transition in the transport sector. The BMVI’s authority extends across the broad range of transport modes, including aviation, road, rail and water. It also co-ordinates on European transport policy and helps to implement the 2013 Mobility and Fuels Strategy.

The National Office for Energy Cooperatives at the German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation (DGRV) is the main contact partner for federal policy-makers as well as public authorities, associations and the public. The principal task of the national office is to provide a voice to 800 energy cooperatives and their 200,000 members in the federal policy debate on the Energy transition (Energiewende).

The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is mainly responsible for overseeing the bioenergy sector, including biofuels and biomass. In particular, the BMEL promotes the sustainable and environment-friendly production and use of biomass for both domestic fuels as well as imports. The BMEL also grants funds for renewable energy R&D with a thematic focus on energy production from biomass.

The Federal Government promotes energy projects in over 50 countries and energy is currently the focus of cooperation in 24 of these and energy represents the biggest single item in Germany's development cooperation. The BMZ works on three levels: promoting access to energy, pushing the development of renewable energies and campaigning for a more economical and intelligent use of energy.

The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) is a higher federal scientific authority, which contributes to the environmentally friendly development of renewable energies by means of research activities, policy consulting and the drawing up of recommendations for action.

With its 20,000 members, the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) is one of the largest branch representatives in the wind sector and the 1st contact partner for policy-makers, industry, science and the media in Germany. In addition to its political activity, knowledge sharing and networking are among the driving guiding principles of the BWE.

The German Industry Initiative for Energy Efficiency (DENEFF) is the first independent, cross-industry network of pioneering companies in the energy efficiency sector in Germany acting as a joint political lobby group. Its aim lies in an accelerated market development for products and services in the energy efficiency sector by means of policy-making on a consistent basis.

With the initiative "Energy Systems of the Future" acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Union of the German Academies of Sciences seek to provide systematic expertise and a set of reference points for political decisions concerning the common goal “Energiewende“. More than 100 scientists from various disciplines develop policy options for the implementation of a secure, affordable and sustainable energy transition.

Adelphi is an independent think tank and public policy consultancy on climate, energy and environment. The Berlin based institute offers creative solutions and tailored services for politics, business, and civil society. With a staff of 130, adelphi provides high- quality interdisciplinary research and strategic policy analysis, public policy consulting and training. Adelphi facilitates dialogues for governments, development cooperation, and international organizations. Since 2001, adelphi completed 800 projects and operates in 85 countries.

The German Development Institute/Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) is one of the leading research institutions for international development policy. DIE works within international research networks and its work is based on the interplay between research, policy advice and training. These three areas complement each other and are the factors responsible for the institute’s distinctive profile. DIE analyses energy transition policies and politics in emerging countries and Germany.

The Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg (IFEU) is one of the leading environmental research and consultancy institutes in Germany and creates significant policy instruments, scenarios and strategies for renewable energies and energy efficiency both at national and international level. The IFEU conducts technology impact assessments and life cycle assessments, as well as economic and energy policy analyses. Its customers include ministries and public authorities, associations, energy suppliers and manufacturers.

The German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) provides guidance for political decision-makers. A large number of decisions have to be taken without the interaction of global and development problems being understood in detail. The WBGU communicates complex interrelationships, estimates risks and proposes "planetary guardrails" (e.g. the 2°C target for climate protection), which should not be overstepped. Thus the WBGU facilitates fact-based political and social dialogues and assists political decision-making.