Germany’s energy transition: Building a just and resilient Energiewende amid economic and geopolitical crises

Siddi, Marco

2026-01-01

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Abstract

Germany’s green energy transition, or Energiewende, acquired policy relevance in the late 1990s. Since then, it has promoted the replacement of fossil fuels and nuclear energy with renewable energy, alongside power grid expansion, energy efficiency, and broader industrial and societal transformation. Since the loss of its energy partnership with Russia in 2022, Germany has experienced an economic slowdown. Geopolitical competition is undermining the country’s export-oriented economy, including its trade relations with China. Germany must accelerate its low-carbon transformation in a way that preserves its industrial power, makes energy systems more resilient, and ensures a socially just transition. Despite creating a special fund to accelerate the energy transition, the current German government has prioritised gas imports and supported polluting industries. The Energiewende faces resistance from local communities due to their limited influence in decision-making and the uneven distribution of costs. Far-right parties have sometimes sought to exploit the resulting protests for their own gain. Due to Germany’s economic significance, the progress of the Energiewende will strongly influence the EU’s decarbonisation path.