After the successful conclusion of the Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel announced that Germany would persistently follow its course in climate protection policies. "Montreal sent a signal for the further development of the Kyoto Protocol. For us, this is both an incentive and a commitment to live up to our leading role in climate protection in the future as well" Minister Gabriel said. He especially called on German companies to recognise the opportunities of active climate protection policies for a modernisation of the national economy and to boldly use them. "It pays to generate energy efficiently and to use it economically because energy efficiency is cost efficiency and cost efficiency enhances competitiveness."
"As one of the world's main industrial countries we want to and we have to continue to be a model for climate protection if we want others to follow our lead" said Minister Gabriel. Like almost no other country Germany has excellent means to come up with and apply innovative solutions to climate change. The Federal Minister called on the scientific community, industry, labour unions, municipalities and citizens to face this challenge and be more active in taking advantage of the opportunities connected with it.
Minister Gabriel said that in Montreal the international community sent a "strong and encouraging signal" that it wanted to continue the course of the Kyoto Protocol with binding targets for reduction and caps for the emission of greenhouse gases. In this respect world wide emissions trading and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) were of outstanding importance.
"It is ensured that the evolving carbon markets will function beyond 2012. This means companies which want to participate in this trading by investing in climate friendly facilities and projects can plan securely. It also strengthens the German industry's market opportunities abroad." Minister Gabriel announced that next year the BMU would launch an initiative to support German companies in implementing climate protection projects in developing countries. There is a "great demand" for such projects, especially in India, China and other newly industrialised countries. Already at the Climate Change Conference in Montreal Minister Gabriel and his Mexican colleague Luege Tamargo signed a bilateral agreement for the implementation of CDM projects.
Federal Environment Minister Gabriel referred to the decision planned for next year on the allocation of emission allowances for European emissions trading as an important step in climate politics. He pointed to the fact that the coalition agreed to draw up the National Allocation Plan for the second trading period from 2008 to 2012 on the basis of the CO2 reduction targets stipulated in the Allocation Act 2005/2007.
Further information:
- Background information on the Climate Change Conference in Montreal