Germany

This chapter examines climate policy efforts across eight German states that joined the Under2 Coalition at different timepoints, analyzing founding member Baden-Württemberg, five early joiners (Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, and Thuringia), and two later joiners (Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate). Operating within Germany’s concurrent legislation principle that constrains subnational regulatory autonomy, these states demonstrate varied climate policy and leadership trajectories shaped by the federal energy transition ( Energiewende ), political configurations, and structural conditions. Baden-Württemberg emerges as the most consistent climate leader, exhibiting cognitive, exemplary, structural, and entrepreneurial leadership through early legislative action, a comprehensive set of policy instruments, and sustained ambition before and after co-founding the Under2 Coalition. Early joiners show mixed patterns: North Rhine-Westphalia initially demonstrated strong leadership before changes in government weakened ambition, while Schleswig-Holstein leveraged structural advantages and Bavaria remained a follower despite early membership. Later joiners present contrasting cases, with Rhineland-Palatinate exhibiting unexpected climate leadership and Lower Saxony remaining a follower despite renewable energy advantages. The analysis reveals that Under2 Coalition membership reinforced leadership where favorable state-level conditions existed—particularly Green Party government participation—while having limited impact on laggard states.