On behalf of the Ministry of Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection NRW, the Wuppertal Institute supports the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia in drawing up the climate protection plan. The climate protection plan is the central instrument to achieve the climate protection goals of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the climate protection law, green house gas (GHG) emissions shall be reduced by at least 25 per cent until 2020 and by 80 per cent until 2050 compared to the emissions in 1990. The plan will be elaborated in a comprehensive participatory process which includes all stakeholder groups in society. It should be finalised for the first time in the year 2012 and thereafter it should be updated every five years.

The Wuppertal Institute prepared an overview of the potentials for GHG emission reductions and for energy efficiency in the different sectors. This overview is intended as introductory information for the stakeholder groups which are involved in the participatory process. Based on a literature review of relevant studies, the crucial sectoral potentials were extracted and assorted so that they can serve as a background for discussions on possible strategies and measures in the climate protection plan.