CLIMATE activists have condemned the German government after a new report showed the country on course to miss its target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions again.

According to new data from think tank Agora Energiewende published on Wednesday, Germany released the equivalent of 761 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, the main planet-warming gas, in 2022.

That was slightly below the previous year’s figure but still above Germany’s target of a 40 per cent emissions cut by 2020.

Although the country met its target in 2020, that was largely due to the coronavirus pandemic-related economic downturn.

Emissions rose again as the German economy rebounded over the following two years, when they were meant to decrease further.

Economic Affairs and Climate Action Minister Robert Habeck said that official emissions figures would not be published until mid-March, adding that new measures to boost wind and solar power generation would  take effect this year.

Mr Habeck, the Green Party minister in the coalition government, expressed concern at a lack of emissions cuts in the transport sector, describing it as a “problem child” that requires urgent attention.

However, climate activists blasted Mr Habeck and his party for supporting plans to bulldoze a tiny village in western Germany to make way for the expansion of a nearby coalmine.

Protesters camped out in Luetzerath clashed with police earlier this week and more demonstrations are planned at the site in the run-up to next Tuesday, when utility company RWE is expected to raze the ancient hamlet.

About 150 people gathered outside Mr Habeck’s ministry on Wednesday to protest the plans for the Garzweiler coalmine to swallow up Luetzerath.

Protesters allege that a compromise between the government and RWE reached last year will result in emissions increasing.

Campaigner Luisa Neuberger said: “This coal deal between the Greens and RWE is a black box that leads to climate catastrophe.”