Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: The Federation of German Industries (BDI) is strategically engaged on climate change policy in the EU and Germany. The organization remains negatively engaged on key strands of EU climate policy, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and CO2 Standards for Light Duty Vehicles. The association has extensively promoted maintaining a role for fossil fuels in the energy mix.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: BDI supports climate policy in some top-line messaging, however with major exceptions. In a June 2024 press release, the association appeared to support climate neutrality by 2045. However, former BDI President Siegfried Russwurm advocated for a less ambitious approach in a November 2024 Handelsblatt article, stating that the target was not “set in stone”. BDI consistently stated support for COP28 and the goals of the Paris Agreement, for example in a news release in December 2023. BDI does not appear to support the need for stringent climate change regulation in the EU, as it consistently advocated to revise EU Green Deal policies to prioritize technology neutrality and economic competitiveness, for example in a March 2025 press release.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policies: BDI’s overall engagement with climate-related policies in the EU appears to be mostly negative. The association supported the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) with major exceptions by advocating for continued free emissions allowances under the EU’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and by appearing to support export rebates in February 2025 policy recommendations. The association repeatedly emphasized the risk of carbon leakage from the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) due to its policy design and implementation, for example in a July 2024 position paper regarding the extension of the scheme to maritime transport and in the context of the ETS Aviation.
BDI appears broadly supportive of energy efficiency legislation, for example, it advocated for government support for large scale renovation and modernization of buildings in Germany in an October 2024 position paper. The association supported measures to increase building renovations in the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in its September 2024 Transformation Paths Study, but also advocated for a technology neutral implementation of the policy.
BDI did not appear to support Germany’s renewable energy target for 2030, its President calling it “too dogmatic” in a Financial Times article published in February 2024. The association’s overall engagement on renewable energy legislation seems to be predominantly negative, for example, it supported the EU Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate with major exceptions by emphasizing carbon leakage concerns, including in a July 2024 position paper.
BDI consistently opposed the EU’s proposed 2035 zero-emissions target for light-duty vehicles, for example advocating for an earlier review of the policy in a joint CEO statement in November 2024. In a March 2025 press release, BDI supported the EU Commission’s proposal to weaken the 2025 15% CO2 reduction standards for light-duty vehicles and promoted further flexibilities in the policy. BDI does not seem to fully support the EU’s 2040 Climate Target, for example stating in February 2025 policy recommendations that the proposed -90% GHG reduction target should only be set on the condition that it wouldn’t ‘overburden industry’.
Positioning on Energy Transition: BDI takes predominantly negative positions on the energy transition. Although the association appears to state support for increasing renewable and low-carbon energy in the energy mix, it has consistently advocated for a continued role for fossil gas in Germany and Europe. For example, BDI signed the Brussels Declaration in November 2023 which supported new exploration and production of fossil gas alongside an increase in renewable and low-carbon energy. The organization also emphasized concerns around economic and technical feasibility of a move away from fossil gas in a March 2025 press release.
BDI seems to support critical mineral legislation to improve supply chain security and production of minerals, for example in February 2025 policy recommendations, however without taking a clear position on the transition of the energy mix.
In a November 2024 publication, BDI supported the development of green and blue hydrogen and the use of carbon capture and storage to decarbonize industry, however without clarifying the need to reduce fossil fuel usage. The association advocated for a weaker definition of low-carbon hydrogen in the EU Hydrogen and Gas Decarbonization Package Delegated Act than proposed by the EU Commission in October 2024 feedback comments.
BDI takes predominantly negative positions on the decarbonization of transport, for example opposing national and European taxes on fuels in both maritime transport and aviation in a February 2025 position paper published ahead of the German Federal Elections. BDI President Russwurm did not support an introduction of a German kerosene tax and increasing the German truck toll in a January 2024 news release.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate climate policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the association’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q2 2025.