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February 8, 2012
Environment minister condemns USA and China
Published: 26 Dec 09 10:21 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20091226-24181.html
German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen on Saturday had harsh words for the USA and China over the failure of this month's Copenhagen climate conference.
- China offers Merkel some comfort for Europe (6 Feb 12)
- Westerwelle hammers China, Russia over veto (5 Feb 12)
- Merkel gives mixed review of China trip (4 Feb 12)
Röttgen said that US President Barack Obama and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao had "agreed to the lowest common denominator. China didn't want to lead and the USA couldn't lead."
The lowpoint of the negotiations came, according to Röttgen, when China refused to accept a pledge by industrialised nations to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent by 2050. In Röttgen's opinion, China's priority was clearly not protecting the climate, but "obstruction."
Röttgen added that the political elites in the USA were incapable of winning over the majority of the people to protect the climate. Too many Americans simply want "cheap money, so they can consume, and are not interested in limiting their CO2 emissions."
Röttgen also refused to consider the suggestion of Hans-Peter Keitel, president of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), to lower Germany's domestic target of decreasing emissions by 40 percent by 2020.
"This target is a condition for our prosperity," the environment minister said, pointing to Germany's success in exporting new clean energy and environmental technologies. "We shouldn't send the money abroad to buy oil. We should use German engineering to create jobs at home."
Despite the failure of the Copenhagen summit, the German government is considering increasing its climate protection support for poor countries. "We should not refuse help to those states that are seriously trying to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions," said Development Minister Dirk Niebel in the latest edition of news magazine Focus.
In Copenhagen, Germany agreed to offer €1.26 billion from 2010 to 2012 to help develop climate protection in poor countries. "This offer is still valid," Niebel said, though details are still to be negotiated.
DDP/DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
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Your comments about this article:
But what I find interesting is Röttgen's refusal to lower carbon emissions while he blames the US for "failure" at Cop15. I call that hypocracy. It was Hillary Clinton and Obama that managed to get anything done. Doesn't this idiot know that any step forward, no matter how small, and unsatisfactroy he thinks it is, is better than no progress at all. And is this the best he can do? The US did not lead? If the US took a more proactive stand, it would be accused of abusing its power and dictating to others. Screw that! At least the US did something besides complain, unlike Germany.
If the US had come in with a solid agenda called the US plan, we could have counted on France and Russia screaming , who elected the US the leader of the Free world.
We defend Germany, be happy with that. We didn't come to Europe to make a perfect society, we did it to free mankind from a horrible regime.
By the way, giving away Billions of dollars to third world dictatorships is something the US taxpayer has no interest in and if German politicians have so much money they don't know what to do with, we advise it be returned to the German taxpayer it was taken from.
You are right. Germany can never be the LEADER of the free world because they dont lie and cheat humanity like the Government of the United States of America does. Republicans do it more than Dems. Thats it. No difference.
I do like a good debate, but in this case I am happy for the miserable results obtained, as I, for one, am not convinced there is Global Warming do to mankind.
What has Germany done for humanity? When a crisis or event occurs in the world requiring an immediate response/assistance, which country is at the top of the speed dial? My money is on the USA.