Bavaria violates its own climate laws according to the environmental association. With a lawsuit, the environmental protection organization wants to put pressure on the state government.
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) filed a lawsuit against Bavaria on Monday. The reason: the state neglects its obligations in climate protection. In fact, the state-owned climate protection law must be regularly updated and adjusted. But the Free State is clearly behind schedule.
At the latest by early 2026, the next update of the now “completely insufficient” law should have taken place—especially since a failure to meet climate targets was already foreseeable. The last update of the law took place in July 2024.
“While Bavaria tears through its climate targets, Markus Söder proudly announces a discount on diesel and petrol that will further fuel the climate crisis,” said DUH chief Jürgen Resch. With this, he ignores the Bavarian Climate Protection Act.
The DUH demands a fundamental tightening of the climate protection program, mainly in the transportation sector. This includes the nationwide introduction of a speed limit, the introduction of a truck toll, and a shift of freight traffic to rail. Crucially, such measures should be linked to fixed timelines and binding success controls.
Bavarian Greens: “The lawsuit is the right move”
The Bavarian state association of the Greens supports the lawsuit. “From the Bavarian climate target, Söder has long since distanced himself; he fuels the expensive dependence on gas and oil. Instead of advancing Bavaria’s wind-and-sun freedom energy, he would rather close an oil deal with Kazakhstan. It is right that the state government must answer for its failures in climate protection in court,” said Eva Lettenbauer, state chair of the Greens.
In response to inquiries from , the Bavarian Administrative Court confirmed receipt of the lawsuit. It will now be served on the defendant—which is the Free State of Bavaria—who will then have the opportunity to respond to the lawsuit.
In 2025, the DUH had already filed lawsuits against Baden-Württemberg and Berlin due to lack of climate protection. The environmental association is currently examining further climate lawsuits against other federal states, according to its own statements.
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