Concept for a Future Climate Policy

The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) presents here a summary of its Ideas on climate policies. We wish to illustrate how we foresee the next steps towards an ambitious set of policies for energy, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Scientific knowl-edge about the impending threats as well as knowledge about possible options for action have increased considerably in recent decades. Particularly alarming, in view of expected climate change, is the IPCC’s fourth assessment report, published in 2007. At the same time we are observing an increase in the global emissions of greenhouse gases – the cause of anthropogenic climate change.