Recommendation is made to draft a legislative initiative aimed at safeguarding employees from radiation hazards.
In the latest investigation by the German Environmental Aid, the eco-friendliness of the means of transportation for Germany's top politicians has been under scrutiny. The findings reveal a mixed picture, with progress towards electrification, but high-emission vehicles still in use.
The report, published by the environmental group Umwelthilfe (DUH) in 2025, highlights that many top officials, including the Minister-President of Bavaria, Markus Söder, continue to use vehicles with high carbon dioxide emissions despite the ongoing climate crisis. Söder's BMW X7 M60i xDrive emits a staggering 292 grams of CO₂ per kilometer, making it the most climate-damaging official vehicle among German politicians [1].
The overall German federal politicians' fleet shows a positive trend, with about 57% of official cars being fully electric [3]. Four out of eleven federal ministers use fully electric vehicles, while seven drive plug-in hybrids. However, the report notes that many plug-in hybrids are often driven mainly by their combustion engines, increasing their emissions beyond expectations [3].
Comparing these emissions to EU fleet limits, the European Union is actively tightening car CO₂ emission regulations to accelerate electric vehicle adoption as part of its net-zero strategy. The EU aims for average new car CO₂ emissions to fall below 95 g/km by recent regulation targets, moving towards zero emissions by 2035 [2]. The reported emissions from German top politicians’ cars (e.g., Söder’s 292 g/km) are thus well above EU fleet average limits, signaling a gap between political leadership vehicle choices and EU climate goals.
Notably, Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder receives a "red card" for his emission-intensive plug-in hybrid. A "red card" is given to official cars that are 20% or more above the currently valid fleet limit of 93.6 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer upon new registration [4]. Seven out of eleven federal ministers receive this penalty [5].
In contrast, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider's electric official car emits 62 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, the best among the evaluated federal ministers' official cars [6]. Baden-Württemberg's Minister-President, Kretschmann, uses an electric car that emits only 70 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, the best among the evaluated state-level ministers' official cars [7].
The investigation, conducted by the German Environmental Aid in the first half of 2025, reveals a need for improvement in the eco-friendliness of German politicians' official vehicles [8]. Bremen's Environment Senator, Kathrin Moosdorf (Greens), sets a good example by using a service bicycle instead of an official car [9]. Hamburg transport senator, Anjes Tjarks (Greens), also stands out among his colleagues for his eco-friendly practices by doing without an official car [10].
As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, it is crucial that political leaders lead by example in reducing carbon emissions. The findings of the German Environmental Aid's investigation serve as a reminder that there is still work to be done in this area.
References: [1] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [2] European Commission, 2021. [3] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [4] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [5] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [6] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [7] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [8] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [9] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025. [10] Umwelthilfe (DUH), 2025.
