German companies are increasingly investing in adaptation measures to address climate change impacts, focusing on areas like heat, water scarcity, flooding, and storms. Energy companies like EnBW and E.ON are adapting their infrastructure and operations in response to these challenges. Climate expert Jens Burchardt from Boston Consulting Group highlights the significant impact climate change could have on company profits. A UN report indicates that current government plans are insufficient to meet the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree Celsius target, emphasizing the need for both adaptation and mitigation efforts.

A report by Ausgestrahlt and the Munich Environmental Institute reveals that many nuclear waste storage facilities in Germany fail to meet safety standards, with issues such as rusting drums and unpermitted interim sites. The report urges the German government to adopt a comprehensive nuclear policy and highlights the risks associated with transporting nuclear waste. The European Economic and Social Committee supports funding for civil society groups to monitor radioactive waste management, reflecting a broader call for improved safety measures.

Researchers from the Research Institute for Sustainability in Potsdam emphasize the importance of involving local communities in decision-making processes for a successful energy transition. The report, led by Jörg Radtke, suggests that local-level implementation is crucial, as it is where conflicts and compromises occur. The study finds that bottom-up strategies are more effective than autocratic approaches in gaining public support. The authors propose four principles for policy-making: establishing local discussion groups, creating inclusive formats like citizens' councils, sharing benefits with local communities, and engaging them in broader sustainability concepts.

Doubts over Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe's decarbonisation strategy, particularly its hydrogen-based direct reduction project, pose a risk to Germany's hydrogen core grid plans, according to Open Grid Europe. The potential reduction in hydrogen demand from Thyssenkrupp could significantly impact the network, which aims to connect hydrogen production, consumption, and storage points by 2032. The German government is investing heavily in transforming steel production to hydrogen-based processes, with Thyssenkrupp and other companies receiving substantial funding. Recent challenges in the hydrogen economy, including the cancellation of Norwegian projects, add to the uncertainty.

The German Wind Energy Association has suggested implementing a statutory maximum limit on land rent prices for wind farms due to rising costs, which have increased from 10% to as much as 50% of annual electricity revenue. The proposal faces skepticism from the country's economy ministry, which questions its legal feasibility. However, legal experts argue that setting an upper rent limit for tender participation is permissible. Rising rents, driven by state forest land leases, pose a potential bottleneck for the energy transition, according to industry representatives.

German car manufacturers, including VW, Audi, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes, are experiencing a 2.1 percent decline in market share in the EU, USA, and China in 2024, despite overall market growth. Competitors like BYD and Tesla are capitalizing on this decline. High prices and inflation have deterred consumers from German brands. Analysts suggest that German manufacturers face challenges such as high combustion engine sales, stricter EU emissions limits, a declining Chinese market outlook, and domestic overcapacity. Despite these challenges, VW, BMW, and Mercedes are expected to maintain significant operating profits.

Germany's forests have transitioned from carbon sinks to net carbon emitters, as highlighted by the Federal Forest Inventory report from the agriculture ministry. The decline is attributed to the dieback of monocultures and loss of coniferous forests due to climate change impacts like droughts and storms. Experts, including Pierre Ibisch, warn that the situation may be worse than reported, with significant carbon loss since 2017. Environmental organizations like NABU and WWF Germany stress the urgent need for forest restoration and a strong Federal Forest Act to address climate and biodiversity protection. The report underscores the critical state of German forests, with most common tree species severely damaged.

Germany's steel industry, along with steel-producing states and industry associations, is urging the federal government to implement measures for competitive energy prices, boost the hydrogen economy, and establish green lead markets through public procurement to aid the transition to climate neutrality. The National Steel Action Plan, presented at the 2024 Steel Summit, highlights the industry's existential challenges, including high electricity prices and international competition. North Rhine-Westphalia is supporting Thyssen-Krupp Steel with 700 million euros for its green transformation, but industry leaders believe a broader EU-level steel pact is necessary for long-term industrial security.

Marine biologist Murray Roberts, shocked by the state of cold-water corals west of Scotland's Shetland Islands, leads the EU-funded iAtlantic project to assess the Atlantic Ocean's ecosystems. The project, ending in March 2024, focuses on deep-water and open-water ecosystems, involving 44 organizations from 16 Atlantic-bordering countries. The iAtlantic project has concentrated on 12 locations of international protective and economic value, including the Sargasso Sea, the Romanche Fracture Zone, and a mountain range off Brazil's coast. The United Nations, influenced by Roberts' early work, banned trawling in vulnerable ecosystems in 2006. The TRIATLAS project, completed in November 2023, worked in conjunction with iAtlantic to install mooring sites in the South Atlantic to monitor the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Both projects contribute to the All Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance, with the EU prioritizing marine environmental protection and aiming to restore oceans by 2030.

Ernst Rauch, Munich Re's top climate scientist, argues against rebuilding homes in flood-prone areas like Germany's Ahr valley, citing increased flood risks due to climate change. He criticizes ongoing construction in such areas as irrational and driven by ignorance and vested interests. The German insurance industry warns of rising premiums and calls for legislative reforms to incorporate climate-adapted construction. Only 52 percent of German households currently have natural hazard insurance.