After COP21 in Paris the German government launched a number of new initiatives in the fields of energy transition and climate protection. Renewable energy was developed rapidly and it can be expected that the relevant goals will be achieved without difficulty. With respect to reducing emissions，however，Germany is relatively far away from its goals，especially in the construction and transportation sectors. Germany regards energy efficiency as the most important means to achieve the goals of energy transition and climate protection，but success has in part eluded it. If the government does not take stricter and more specific measures to improve implementation，Germany might not achieve all its goals. As a result，Germany’s image as an international pioneer in energy transition and climate protection could be challenged and its status as an international role model might also be weakened further.