Jul 16, 2026
According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), German businesses in the manufacturing and service sectors generated 117.5 billion euros in revenue from environmental goods and services in 2024. This figure represents a 1.9 percent decline compared to the previous year, marking the first drop in such revenues in six years.
Green Jobs Remain Stable
The number of so-called ‘green jobs’—employees producing or providing environmental goods and services—remained nearly unchanged in 2024. Measured in full-time equivalents, the figure fell by just 300 to approximately 404,900, staying at roughly the same level as the prior year.
Industrial Investments in Environmental Protection
In 2024, industry (manufacturing excluding construction) invested 21.8 billion euros in environmental protection. Of this total, 21.2 billion euros were spent on tangible fixed assets such as technical equipment and machinery for environmental purposes. More than half of these tangible investments—11.9 billion euros, or 56.1 percent—went toward climate protection, predominantly for measures involving renewable energy use (8.3 billion euros). Additional climate protection spending included 2.1 billion euros for energy efficiency and energy savings, and 1.5 billion euros for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The waste and wastewater management sector received the second-largest share of tangible investments, totaling 7.2 billion euros (33.9 percent), with 4.4 billion euros allocated to equipment for reducing wastewater volume and pollutant load. Air pollution control accounted for 1.4 billion euros (6.7 percent) of tangible investments, including 609 million euros for electromobility—covering electric and hybrid vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure.
Beyond tangible assets, industrial companies spent 516 million euros on first-time leased or rented new tangible assets for environmental protection, such as photovoltaic systems. An additional 101 million euros were invested in intangible assets, including environmental software for managing greenhouse gas or waste data.
Companies in the energy and water supply and waste management sectors accounted for the bulk of environmental protection investments in tangible assets, spending 15.4 billion euros—more than two-thirds (72.7 percent) of all industries.
Climate Protection Leads Revenue
As in previous years, climate protection generated the highest revenue among environmental areas in 2024, reaching 73.0 billion euros—a 2.8 percent increase year-on-year. Key pillars included measures for renewable energy use (36.2 billion euros) and energy efficiency and savings (34.1 billion euros). Within renewables, onshore wind power goods and services were the most revenue-intensive at 14.8 billion euros. In energy efficiency, efficient drive and control technology (excluding electromobility) led with 11.0 billion euros.
Declines in Automotive-Related Environmental Sectors
Air pollution control and wastewater management were the next most revenue-generating environmental areas after climate protection. Air pollution control posted 19.6 billion euros in revenue in 2024, a 15.7 percent drop from the previous year. Two sectors closely tied to the automotive industry saw notable declines: electromobility goods and services, which generated 10.1 billion euros, fell by 11.5 percent (1.3 billion euros) year-on-year—the first decrease since this metric was introduced in 2019. Revenue from catalytic exhaust gas treatment measures also fell by 25.4 percent (1.9 billion euros) in 2024.
Wastewater management revenue rose slightly to 11.3 billion euros, an increase of about 122,000 euros or 1.1 percent. The largest subcategory—manufacturing and installation of sewer systems—remained stable at 6.4 billion euros.
Manufacturing Dominates Environmental Revenue and Jobs
Manufacturing enterprises generated 84.8 billion euros in environmental revenue, accounting for roughly three-quarters (72.1 percent) of the total. The machinery sector was the most important contributor with 27.3 billion euros, followed by the manufacture of motor vehicles and parts at 12.0 billion euros. Construction contributed 15.2 billion euros, and the service sector added 13.1 billion euros.
Manufacturing also employed the largest share of green jobs: about two-thirds (63.5 percent, or 257,200) of environmental protection workers were in manufacturing, for instance in producing renewable energy equipment. Construction accounted for 20.9 percent (84,500) of green jobs, such as building insulation work. The service sector—including planning and project development for renewable energy in architecture and engineering firms—employed 13.7 percent (55,500) of all green jobs.
The data come from the Federal Statistical Office’s environmental economic statistics for the 2024 reporting year, based on responses from 10,145 businesses in manufacturing and services for revenue and employment, and 12,924 industrial companies (excluding construction) for investment figures.
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