According to German think tank Agora Energiewende and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate Environment, and Energy , the chemical, steel, and cement industries risk getting stuck in a dead-end on their path to climate-neutral production. In a recent study , the institutes called on politicians to create an emergency program for greater investment security in order to achieve the target of CO2-neutral production by 2050. The basic materials industry is currently responsible for one fifth of Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Manfred Fischedick, Vice President of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment, and Energy, says that now is the time to act, because many production plants have reached the end of their life cycle: “Between 2020 and 2030, there will be a major reinvestment phase in industry – this is a great opportunity for climate action.” However, a master plan, i.e. a policy framework and support, is needed to accelerate the switch to CO2-neutral and energy-efficient machines.