Germany: Prosecutor's office prosecutes emission reduction fraud. Searches in three companies, 17 people detained

Niemcy: Prokuratura ściga za oszustwa w redukcji emisji. Przeszukania w trzech firmach, zatrzymanych 17 osób

The German police entered the offices of three companies that carried out audits of investments made by German fuel companies in China and certified untruths in documents for the Federal Environmental Agency. On their basis, companies reduced their greenhouse gas emission rates, although no physical investments were made. The objects shown in the documentation were created only on paper. The investigation into this case is being supervised by the General Prosecutor's Office. 17 people were detained for investigation.

The emissions scandal

These are upstream emission reduction projects (UER), i.e. climate investments carried out by companies outside the country where they are headquartered. The reduction targets achieved in them go to the account of these companies and countries, even though the activities or facilities are implemented abroad. This is the principle on which, for example, Scandinavian mining companies save rainforests in Indonesia.

In May this year Thanks to opposition politicians (CDU/CSU and AfD), an emission scandal broke out in Germany. It was revealed that German successes in reducing CO2 emissions are largely a fraud, because some of the approved UER projects implemented by German industry do not actually exist, and facilities reported as newly built were actually built much earlier and not with the money of these companies. It was enough to check it, for example, on satellite photos available on Google maps. Meanwhile, the Federal Environment Agency and the Emissions Trading Office did not verify this, relying solely on the documents provided by the companies.

German emissions reductions are based on fraud. Just check on Google maps!

The tip of the iceberg

The Federal Environment Agency filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office only after "the milk had already been spilled." As a result of the investigation, suspicions fell on three companies from Kerpen, Cologne and Langebach, which were responsible for conducting on-site audits of 5 UER investments in China. According to the prosecutor's office, they exposed the state to damages estimated at over EUR 1.1 million.

However, everything indicates that this is only the tip of the iceberg. The head of the Federal Environment Agency, Dirk Messner, forced to explain in the Bundestag, admitted that reports of possible cases of financial abuse had already reached him, including from China. He also admitted that 2 of the 60 existing UER projects have been withdrawn, two in the approval phase have been put on hold and another 36 projects are under suspicion. In 10 of the 40 cases, after checking with satellite images, doubts arose as to whether the systems even existed. In 10 other cases, information about projects was false.

Germany is managing to reduce CO2 emissions as planned. Agriculture is leading

Certificates suspended

Federal Minister of the Environment Steffi Lemke recently announced that the issuance of UER climate protection certificates has been suspended. German biofuel producers also protested loudly. The industry demands rigorous action and compensation because false certificates displace biodiesel and bioethanol from greenhouse gas reduction quotas.

The scandal also had a negative impact on the image of Germany, which boasts about its successes in achieving climate goals. Everything indicates that the government statistics are highly false, since they are based on "paper" investments of German industry.