On 23 September 2014 State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth received his French colleague Harlem Désir, Minister of State for European Affairs, at the Federal Environment Ministry. State Secretary Flasbarth emphasized the role France has to play as host to the global Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris in December 2015. He also stressed the importance of the upcoming EU negotiations in October 2014 on a 2030 framework for climate and energy policies for the international climate negotiations.
During their meeting the Minister of State and the State Secretary outlined their views on the key issues of the climate and energy policy framework for the period 2020 to 2030 currently under discussion. Their discussion also included targets, instruments and approaches for dividing the reduction contributions among the member states.
The positions of Germany and France are not far apart. France – not unlike Germany – also supports a threefold approach consisting of greenhouse gas emission reductions, expansion of renewable energy sources and increased energy efficiency by 2030 as well as a strengthening of the EU emissions trading system in the long term.