Climate Transition Plan (E1-1)
A sustainable shift in the mode of transport to rail in both passenger and freight transport is required in order for the German and European climate protection targets to be achieved. Electrified rail transport is one of the most climate-friendly forms of mass mobility. We intend to further reinforce this competitive advantage with our ambitious net-zero target.
At the same time, our business activities and the associated key assets, such as the rail infrastructure, the vehicle fleet and buildings and facilities with a fossil fuel energy supply, generate emissions linked to the original use of materials or cause operational emissions through energy consumption.
DB Group has anchored the ecological transformation in its Strong Rail strategy and is driving it forward in a focused and cross-business-unit manner in five ecological areas of action (climate resilience, climate protection, resource conservation, environmental protection and noise reduction) together with stakeholders. In view of the most pressing challenges currently posed by climate change, we are focusing on climate protection and climate resilience in our ecological transformation.
We aim to be climate-neutral by 2040. We have set ourselves interim targets for this. In our decarbonization strategy, we adhere to the science-based Corporate Net-Zero Standard of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and thus follow a 1.5 °C path.
The gradual decarbonization of DB Group’s activities is also important for its future financial performance, as it should help to secure its future viability on the path to an increasingly decarbonized economy.
In order to achieve our net-zero target with our interim targets in Scopes 1 to 3 and avoid transition risks, we are relying on four levers:
- Increasing the share of renewable energies,
- Phasing out diesel and electrifying tracks,
- Increasing energy efficiency and
- Using emission-reduced building materials.
Further information on our greenhouse gas reduction targets can be found under Targets (E1-4) and further information on our climate protection actions can be found under Actions (E1-3).
Our Climate Transition Plan bundles our climate protection targets, levers and actions. It is an integral part of the Strong Rail strategy. The financial impact of the planned actions for the levers in Scope 1 and 2 are regularly included in the medium-term planning of DB Group and the business units. For Scope 3, the actions will also be included in medium-term planning in future.
Our capital expenditures (Capex) in connection with electricity generation, transmission and distribution amounted to about € 140 million in 2025, while our Capex in connection with the wholesale of solid fuels and petroleum products amounted to about € 3 million.
In this Annual Report, DB Group is publishing information on its Climate Transition Plan for the first time. The progress of its implementation is published during the year in the Interim Report and annually in the Annual Report.