Germany's industry before the upheaval: This is how the future will be green!

Germany's industry before the upheaval: This is how the future will be green!

German industry faces a massive challenge: while the climate crisis increases in intensity, the economy is in a serious crisis. In order to be able to operate climate-neutral by 2045, the competitiveness of German industry is crucial, as shown in the Agora study "Climate-neutral Germany-from the objective of implementation". This study by the Wuppertal Institute and the University of Kassel presents a timetable how Germany can transform its production processes in order to achieve the climate goals. Nevertheless, the current developments show that companies such as Thyssenkrupp and Volkswagen want to reduce tens of thousands of positions, which illustrates the seriousness of the Situation, since the German economy in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking fell to 24th place, a decline in two places compared to the previous year, such as Deutschlandfunk reported.

A central point of the Agora study is that the electrification of process heat in industry should be promoted. These measures could reduce natural gas consumption by 2040 almost to zero, although the electricity requirement would double. At the same time, the German economy suffers from high energy costs, which continues to undermine competitiveness in the internationally growing market. The high inflation means that companies have to struggle with increasing wage costs, while the shortage of skilled workers becomes increasingly acute; According to forecasts, around 728,000 specialists are missing by 2027, which also exacerbates the situation.

critical infrastructure and political uncertainties

The dilapidated infrastructure in Germany and exuberant bureaucratic hurdles contribute to the falling competitiveness. Experts warn that the condition of streets and bridges urgently needs to be improved in order to keep the business location attractive. In addition, there are political uncertainties that burden the investment climate - the successes of populist parties have a deterrent effect on potential investors and specialists. However, despite these challenges, Germany remains a leader in the innovation and development of green technologies and has outstanding patents, as the TÜV association reports.

The Agora study outlines the goal of a climate-neutral industry in which recycled materials are used to replace fossil raw materials. At the same time, however, the transformation requires clear political framework and planning security to achieve the ambitious climate goals. Future investments, especially in the areas of energy and infrastructure, will be crucial to improve competitiveness and actively address the challenges of the climate crisis.