Foreword

The principal aim of the OECD Environmental Performance Review programme is to help member and selected partner countries improve their individual and collective performance in environmental management by:

  • helping countries assess progress in achieving their environmental goals

  • promoting continuous policy dialogue and peer learning

  • stimulating greater accountability from governments towards each other and public opinion.

This report reviews the environmental performance of Germany since the previous review in 2012. Progress in achieving domestic objectives and international commitments provides the basis for assessing the country’s environmental performance. Such objectives and commitments may be broad aims, qualitative goals or quantitative targets. A distinction is made between intentions, actions and results. Assessment of environmental performance is also placed within the context of Germany’s historical environmental record, present state of the environment, physical endowment in natural resources, economic conditions and demographic trends. The analysis is complemented by the Environment at a Glance country profile of Germany illustrating key environmental trends with interactive figures and cross-country comparison.

The OECD is indebted to Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) for its co-operation in providing information, for the organisation of the review mission in Berlin (10-14 October 2022) and policy mission (24 January 2023) as well as for facilitating contacts inside and outside government institutions. Thanks are also due to all government ministries and agencies, as well as to the non-government organisations, that participated in the virtual missions and/or provided information and comments. The OECD is grateful to the representatives of the two examining countries: Sarah Voirin (France) and Megan Bickle (United Kingdom).

The authors of this report are Julia Wanjiru Nikiema-Schwarz (Chapter 1) and Catherine Gamper, Maike Kirsch and Ágnes Szuda (Chapter 2). Florian Mante provided valuable inputs on taxation. The review process was co-ordinated by Julia Wanjiru Nikiema-Schwarz. Nathalie Girouard and Kathleen Dominique provided oversight. Mauro Migotto provided statistical support; Lydia Servant provided administrative support and Mark Foss copy-edited the report. Natasha Cline-Thomas, Beth del Bourgo, William Foster and Nadja Nolting provided communications support. The report also benefited from inputs and comments from Rashad Abelson, Marta Arbinolo, Carla Bertuzzi, Marius Bickmann, Hélène Blake, Nicola Brandt, Ivana Capozza, Kathleen Dominique, Assia Elgouacem, Grégoire Garsous, Sophia Gnych, Robert Grundke, Katia Karousakis, Zeev Krill, Sophie Lavaud, Xavier Leflaive, Michael Maes, Roger Martini, Sarah Miet, Mauro Migotto, Daniel Nachtigall, Edward Perry, Santhosh Persaud, Mikaela Rambali, Svenja Seeber, Jonas Teusch, Delia Sanchez Trancon, Simon Touboul, Martin von Lampe, Sho Yamasaki and Frédérique Zegel of the OECD Secretariat. Valuable contributions were provided by Sylvia Beyer and Insa Handschuh from the International Energy Agency and by Franco Michel-Sendis from the Nuclear Energy Agency.

The OECD Working Party on Environmental Performance at its meeting on 12 April 2023 approved the Assessment and Recommendations.

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