Energy and environment ministers from 20 countries meet in Berlin to discuss the climate-friendly transformation of energy systems
In Berlin today Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Federal Minister of Economics Michael Glos opened the third ministerial meeting of the Gleneagles Dialogue on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development. Over two days, energy and environment ministers from the 20 major energy-consuming countries will discuss strategies for the sustainable transformation of their energy systems. The meeting particularly aims to achieve real progress in the promotion of climate-friendly technologies and investments, thus making an important contribution to the preparations for the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali in December.
Federal Environment Minister Gabriel: "The technologies and the money which we need to combat climate change are broadly available - what we lack are the right political framework conditions. In the Gleneagles Dialogue we are working to make investment in climate protection technologies even more attractive. Clear, binding targets and the further development of the carbon market play a decisive role in this context. Through the market, we can mobilise a large part of the resources needed for the transformation of our energy systems."
According to estimates by the International Energy Agency, 20 trillion US dollars will have been invested in new energy infrastructure by 2030. Whether this money will flow into efficient, modern installations and technologies depends mainly on the political and economic framework conditions. Today, a large number of technological options - especially in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energies - already facilitate energy saving and CO2 reductions and offer major economic opportunities.
Federal Minister of Economics Michael Glos: "Climate protection, security of energy supply and economic viability can be accomplished simultaneously. The key to achieving this lies in particular in efficient energy technologies, which enable us to gain optimum benefit for the climate with the greatest possible cost-efficiency. In Germany, we have had positive experience of using technologies to decouple energy consumption from economic growth and at the same time strengthen our competitiveness. At this meeting, we want to advance the deployment of clean technologies throughout the world. It is a question of identifying cost-effective avoidance potential. In practical terms, this means we must explore the potential of individual technologies in our respective countries and identify and remove obstacles. If necessary we must press ahead with achieving market maturity and create incentives, and we must expand international technology cooperation.
Taking part in the conference in Berlin are the environment and energy ministers from the G8 countries Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, United Kingdom and United States of America, as well as from Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain and the European Commission and Portugal as the holder of the EU presidency. Multinational development banks, the International Energy Agency, the UN Climate Change Secretariat, companies, environmental associations and members of parliament have also been invited.
The participation of environment and energy ministers from industrialised, developing and newly industrialising countries makes it possible to pursue an integrated approach in climate and energy policy. Under the German EU Presidency, in spring 2007 the EU for the first time united climate protection and energy policy in a coherent strategy. With the adoption of its climate and energy package in Meseberg, the German Government demonstrated how an integrated concept can promote growth and protect the climate at the same time.
Climate protection and energy efficiency is a focus of the German G8 Presidency 2007. The Gleneagles Dialogue was initiated under the UK Presidency at the G8 Summit in 2005. The conference in Berlin aims to provide impetus for the climate negotiation process in the framework of the United Nations, in particular for the next UN Climate Change Conference in Bali in December.