The initiative came from a grassroots organization and lacked the support of the major parties, including the red-green coalition that ruled the German capital until the February general election.
To pass, the proposal required a majority of votes and at least a quarter of eligible voters supporting the proposal.
The yes side received 51 percent of the vote but missed the target of a quarter of eligible voters, writes the newspaper Tagesspiegel.
Goal: Climate neutral by 2045
Thus, the previous goal of making Berlin climate neutral by 2045 remains. It is also Germany's national target.
Several climate scientists have assessed that it is unrealistic to make the city climate neutral as early as 2030, reports SR Ekot.
Social Democratic Mayor Franziska Giffey said in a commentary that the city should work to become climate neutral as soon as possible. By 2030, carbon dioxide emissions will have decreased by 70 percent from 1990 levels.