Germany’s emissions fall for first time in three years

Germany’s carbon emissions have fallen for the first time in three years as the country's switch to clean energy makes an impact.

CO2 emissions dropped by over 41 million tonnes in 2014, a 4.3 per cent reduction, according to the Umweltbundesamt (UBA) environment agency.

Germany has expanded solar, wind and other renewable energy resources as part of the governments Energiewende programme.

The programme is designed to help the country move away from fossil fuels and nuclear power and the findings represent a 27 per cent fall on 1990 levels.

Renewable energy accounted for 27.8 per cent of power consumption in 2014, up from 6.2 per cent in 2000.

Agora Energiewende, the German analyst firm, published a similar set of figures at the start of 2015, and suggested renewables had become the largest source of electricity in Germany.

German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks (pictured) said that the expansion of renewable energy has helped to reduce the reliance on coal and gas power plants, which has forced emissions down.

Critics have warned that the Energiewende programme could increase the country’s reliance on brown coal or lignite, the worst type of coal for the environment.

Brown coal emissions were down by only 2.2 per cent, compared with the 12.9 per cent fall in emissions from gas and 8.2 per cent reduction in black coal.

The findings are positive for Germany, which is aiming to make climate change a key theme of its G7 presidency this year.