High greenhouse gas emissions from land use

The German Climate Change Act assigns a special role to the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector: It is the only sector that also contains sinks, not just sources, of greenhouse gases. In Germany, the incorporation of carbon dioxide in forest ecosystems is offset by high emissions, particularly from drained organic soils, which means that the sector is currently a slight source of greenhouse gas emissions. In the past, the sector was often a significant sink for greenhouse gases, i.e. more carbon dioxide was absorbed from the atmosphere than was released.

In Germany, around five billion tonnes of organic carbon are currently bound in the vegetation and soils of agricultural land and forests. This corresponds to about 18.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. By comparison, Germany emitted the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the 23 years from 2000 to 2022. Agriculture and forestry therefore have a great responsibility to protect and, where possible, increase the large amounts of carbon stored in the soil and vegetation through sustainable use.

• CO₂ emissions from natural carbon pools such as biomass, deadwood, litter and soils as well as CO₂ sinks in these natural pools
• CO₂ emissions or CO₂ sinks due to decreasing or increasing amount of carbon stored in wood products
• CO₂ emissions through the use of peat products such as potting soils
• Methane emissions from wetlands and artificial bodies of water such as drainage ditches, fish ponds and reservoirs
• Greenhouse gas emissions from forest fires
• Nitrous oxide emissions from soils not used for agriculture (nitrous oxide emissions from soils used for agriculture are reported in the Agriculture sector)

The net greenhouse gas balance is largely determined by changes in the large carbon pools. These are primarily drained peatlands (organic soils) and forests (with biomass, deadwood and soils). With around 50 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents per year, drained peat soils are still a major source of greenhouse gases. These soils are mainly used for agriculture, but also for forestry and settlement purposes. As only a few and relatively small areas have been rewetted to date, there has not yet been a trend reversal towards reduced emissions. The 2025 reporting now takes into account the fact that emissions are weather-dependent. In dry years such as 2003 and 2018, the water levels of these soils are lower, meaning that more peat is decomposed by microorganisms and higher CO₂ emissions are produced.

Contrary to previous assumptions, mineral soils used for agriculture also emit CO₂. Modelling by the Thünen Institute shows that Germany's arable land loses around 0.14 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year. That sums up to about seven million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year. The calculations are based on the initial results of the Agricultural Soil Inventory, where resampling of soil is ongoing, and the EU's LUCAS Soil Inventory as well as data from the long-term soil monitoring areas of the federal states. Grassland is not a carbon sink either, although more carbon is stored there than in arable soils.

• The rewetting of peatlands is a complex and long-term task, but it offers the largest climate protection potential. According to target agreement on climate protection through peatland protection by the federal states and the peatland protection strategy, five million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent are to be saved annually by 2030. In addition to agri-environmental and climate protection measures and state programmes, rewetting measures are also being financed via the Natural Climate Protection Action Programme. Reliable regulatory and economic conditions for the utilization of wet soils, for example for the cultivation of Paludi crops, enable ambitious climate protection.
• Significant amounts of CO₂ emissions can also be avoided by phasing out peat extraction and the use of peat in potting soils and horticultural substrates.
• Forests that have been damaged by drought and the associated bark beetle infestation must be reforested quickly. Tree species adapted to the location and resilient to climate change should be used. A high increase in biomass is advantageous. In this way, the sink capacity of the forests can be restored or even improved in the long term.
• Converting forests from the typical spruce monoculture to mixed forests increases resilience and adaptability to climate change. To achieve this, it is necessary to harvest trees and even accept emissions in the short term. In the long term, however, this will ensure that the forest can compensate CO₂ emissions.
• Where possible, additional woodland should be planted. A considerable amount of carbon from carbon dioxide can also be quickly sequestered in newly planted hedges and other agroforestry.
• The potential for increasing wood product storage should be exploited, e.g. by implementing the timber construction initiative.
• The cultivation of catch crops and crop rotations that support humus formation should be expanded in order to strengthen the CO₂ storage capacity of the soil.
• In view of the ambitious climate targets, further options must also be investigated and developed. For example, as part of the German government's long-term strategy for negative emissions, biochar is being considered as an option for long-term carbon storage in soils.