The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) is an international initiative trying to show how country-specific pathways to a low carbon economy could look like. The project aims at compiling a comprehensive report which serves as a pivotal preparatory document for the 21. Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and will be submitted to the French government prior to the COP.

Currently, the DDPP consists of 15 country teams bringing together leading scientists and institutions. Each country team prepares a country-specific analysis by highlighting possible national deep decarbonization pathways until 2050. The Wuppertal Institute is responsible for compiling the country study for Germany. In the framework of the country study, it will be identified which specific conditions are necessary to allow for the implementation of very ambitious mitigation efforts in Germany. Furthermore, the importance of different sectors for mitigation pathways will be analysed and the pathways will be examined in the context of the current national energy and climate policy targets.

While the first stage of the DDPP (finished in September 2014) concentrated on the technical feasibilty of deep decarbonization pathways, in this second stage the focus lies on an in-depth analysis on the basis of an integrated scenario-based approach. Thereby, also factors which are important with regard to political decision making and the implementation of mitigation measures will be taken into account. As the analysis will be carried out using an overall perspective, co-benefits resulting from the realization of deep decarbonization pathways will also be discussed. Moreover, political instruments fostering the implementation of GHG reduction measures will be considered and the need for innovation determined.