Germany's Climate Policies: Practices and Perspectives of Political Actors

Abstract

This study aims to analyze Germany's climate change policies, and to reveal the perception of political actors towards the impacts of climate change. In this context, the policy documents on Germany's climate change strategy are examined in order to understand the political perspective towards climate change and its impacts. Moreover, it is argued that the contradictions regarding the implementation of climate policies depends on the changing priorities in energy practices. To reveal climate focus of Germany, representatives of main political actors, who have different interests in terms of climate action, were interviewed. In this regard, as the climate crisis poses a crucial threat for several referent objects such as state, global system, individual or ecosystems, this study discusses whether the differentiated perspectives of political actors affect the security orientation of climate policies and actions of Germany.