20 years of DEHSt

Over the past two decades, DEHSt has made a significant contribution to the successful implementation and further development of market-based climate protection instruments. We would like to look back on these years and highlight important milestones.

20 Years of DEHSt

The film shows the transformation of the German Emissions Trading Authority over the past 20 years.

Source: joernbarkemeyer.de

The 20th Anniversary of the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) – (Almost) 20 Years of Emissions Trading

Our development and milestones at a glance

2004 Start of DEHSt

Start of DEHSt

The German Environment Agency (UBA) assumes the function of the competent authority for emissions trading in Germany. This was provided for in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Act. The DEHSt is established as a new Division in the UBA and assumes responsibility for the implementation of the EU ETS in Germany.

2004 Head of DEHSt

Head of DEHSt

Dr Jürgen Landgrebe (left), Head of E2 Department, Dr Hans-Jürgen-Nantke (centre), Head of DEHSt Division, and Dr Enno Harders (right), Head of E1 Department, set up the DEHSt.

2004 Our first website

2005 Launch of the EU ETS

Erklärfilm

Launch of the EU ETS

The European Emissions Trading System is launched. The basics: Companies that emit climate-damaging CO2 need to have emission allowances, known as certificates.

2006 bis 2007 Project mechanisms

The DEHSt, situated in the UBA, becomes the responsible national authority for introducing the flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. In 2006, the first German “Clean Development Project” under the Kyoto Protocol was approved. Since 2007, Germany has met the conditions for applying the Kyoto mechanisms.

2008 bis 2011 Start of the next round of emissions trading in Europe

In 2008, the second trading period of the EU ETS begins and makes the biggest contribution to climate protection in Germany over the following years. In addition, the preparations for the inclusion of aviation proceed: we set up the organisational structures and assign the initial free certificates.

2012 Aviation

Aviation

Aviation is included in the European Emissions Trading System. We establish a new section for this task.

Electricity price compensation

The electricity price compensation scheme is intended to keep power-intensive companies able to compete internationally with competitors that do not have to shoulder similar costs. We have been responsible for its implementation in Germany since 2013.

2014 bis 2017 Climate neutral business trips of the Federal Government and auctioning

As of the year 2014, the Federal Government offsets all greenhouse gas emissions from its official travels. To do so, it will purchase and delete emission credits from international projects in the scope of the Clean Development Mechanism, DCM.In 2017, the EEX holds the 500th German emission allowances auction.

Goodbye: Dr Hans-Jürgen Nantke

2015 New direction: Dr Michael Angrick

Dr Michael Angrick became the head of Division E, the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) in 2015.

2018 Competent administrative for maritime transport

Competent administrative for maritime transport

As of 01/01/2018, shipping companies are obligated by the MRV Regulation on maritime transport to monitor their emissions. We as a fining authority are responsible for national enforcement and penalise violations by shipping companies that fail to submit an emission report for their ships that fall under the regulation on time.

New direction: Dr Jürgen Landgrebe

Since 1 July 2019, Dr Jürgen Landgrebe has been the Head of Division V “Climate Protection, Energy, German Emissions Trading Authority” at the German Environment Agency. He holds a doctorate in environmental and process engineering and has been working for the German Environment agency since 1992. Here, he was initially responsible for production-integrated environmental protection, addressing all environmental media, in the mineral oil industry and the pulp and paper industry. Afterwards, he took over the coordination of cross-sectoral issues in the context of preparing European Reference Documents on Best Available Technologies (BAT reference documents – BREFS). From 2000 to 2003, he was the responsible Section Head for the issues of “Environment and Energy” as well as “New Energy Technologies”. From 2004 to June 2019, Dr Jürgen Landgrebe was the Head of Department V 3 (then E 2) – Energy Installations, Aviation, Registries and Basic Economic Issues of the German Emissions Trading Authority.

2019 bis 2020 The emissions trading system works

The emissions from German installations participating in the EU ETS sink during the years 2019 and 2020: the reform of the European emissions trading system works!The German Environment Agency (UBA) estimates that it is possible to lower climate emissions in the EU by at least 60 percent by 2030 compared to 1990.

Launch of the national emissions trading system (nEHS) for fuels.

With the national emission trading system, Germany has introduced another climate protection instrument in 2021 in order to reduce CO2 emissions particularly in the heating and transport sectors.

2022 bis 2023 Record revenues for climate protection

The EU ETS 1 and the nEHS bring in record revenues. All proceeds flow into the Climate and Transformation Fund (CTF) and create new avenues for the government to support climate protection measures.

2024 Introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

Introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

The CBAM is part of the European “Fit for 55” package.The basic idea of the CBAM is that the same CO2 price applies to imported products and products manufactured in the EU.

Celebrating successes and shaping the future

In 2024, we are looking back on 20 years of the DEHSt with many changes, new responsibilities and challenges. In the coming years, we will continue to actively work for climate protection and support the implementation of climate protection measures in Germany with our team.

Symposium “ Review, successes, shaping the future”

On 05/09/2024, we held a specialist colloquium at the Umweltforum in Berlin to mark the anniversary, reflecting on the challenges and successes of the last 20 years, paying tribute to the work of DEHSt and discussing the future of emissions trading as a key element of climate policy.

Dr Philipp Nimmermann, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK), and Prof Dr Dirk Messner, President of the German Environment Agency, each gave a keynote speech to kick off the event. The panel discussion immediately followed the keynote speeches. The panel consisted of:

Dr Ingrid Hanhoff, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), Head of Subdivision C I Immission Control, Plant Safety and Transport
Dr Uwe Neuser, Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection - WG K B 2 Climate Protection Act, Emissions Trading
Holger Lösch, Deputy Managing Director of the Federation of German Industries (BDI e.V.)
Prof Dr Barbara Praetorius, Professor of Sustainability, Environmental and Energy Economics and Policy at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences
Dr Jürgen Landgrebe, Head of Department V - Climate Protection, Energy, German Emissions Trading Authority at the Federal Environment Agency

In addition, a video message from Dr Peter Liese, CDU, Member of the European Parliament, spokesman for the European People's Party in the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, was recorded.