Germany and California Join Forces to Lead Global Fossil-Fuel Phase-out
Germany announced a 2045 fossil-fuel phase-out and California reported near-daily clean-energy use, together forming a powerful climate coalition.
At Climate Week in New York, Germany unveiled a plan to eliminate fossil-fuel use by 2045, the first time it has set such a target beyond carbon-neutral goals. California Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted that the state has run on entirely clean electricity on nine of the past ten days in 2026, citing falling costs for solar, wind and batteries. The two jurisdictions, the world’s third- and fourth-largest economies, anchor a "coalition of the willing" formed after last year’s COP30 summit to push a coordinated phase-out of oil, gas and coal.
The coalition, which includes France and the Netherlands, represents the largest economic bloc advocating for rapid clean-energy deployment. Experts warned that swift policy action and accurate media coverage are essential to keep momentum and counteract misleading climate solutions.
Why it matters
The joint climate leadership of Germany and California could steer the world’s biggest economies toward a decisive end to fossil fuels.
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