{news} USGP-INT SPIEGEL ONLINE - Putting Jobs First: Merkel Backpedals on Climate

Mon Dec 8 13:22:52 EST 2008

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Feinstein" <mfeinstein at feinstein.org>
To: "GP-US International Committee" <usgp-int at gp-us.org>
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2008 12:58 PM
Subject: USGP-INT SPIEGEL ONLINE - Putting Jobs First: Merkel Backpedals 
onClimate

One of the reasons the Christian Democrats were able to knock out the
Red-Green Coalition government in Germany a few years back is Merkel's
then pro-environmental positions.

Are things changing?

SPIEGEL ONLINE, 12/08/2008
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Putting Jobs First: Merkel Backpedals on Climate
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel has long been on the front lines in
the battle against climate change. But with the economy in a
downturn, she may be changing her tune.

You can download the complete article over the Internet at the
following URL:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,595114,00.html

  SPIEGEL ONLINE
SPIEGEL ONLINE
12/08/2008 03:47 PM
PUTTING JOBS FIRST
Merkel Backpedals on Climate

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has long been on the front lines in the
battle against climate change. But with the economy in a downturn, she
may be changing her tune.

It used to be that when environmentalists looked to Berlin, they saw one
of their closest allies in the fight against climate change. For much of
the last three years, Chancellor Angela Merkel has made the fight to
reduce global CO2 emissions a signature issue of her government.

On Monday, though, Merkel finds herself under fire from many of her
former allies. In a Monday article in the mass-circulation tabloid Bild,
Merkel said that she will not approve any European Union climate rules
"that endanger jobs or investments in Germany."

German Chancellor Merkel has said that the environment should take a
back seat to jobs.
DDP

German Chancellor Merkel has said that the environment should take a
back seat to jobs.
The Green Party in Berlin, which has for years had to stand by and watch
as Merkel appropriated one of its central issues, was quick to react.
"Merkel has abdicated her position as climate chancellor," said Bärbel
Höhn, acting floor leader for the Greens in parliament. "The fact that
the chancellor is trying to play the issue of jobs off against the
environment shows her economic ignorance and her amnesia when it comes
to climate issues."

The environmental and development group Oxfam echoed the sentiment,
saying that "with her behavior, Ms. Merkel has demonstrated to
developing countries that protecting climate-harming industries in
Germany is more important than preventing a global climate catastrophe."

Merkel's comments come ahead of the European Union summit in Brussels
this Thursday and Friday. In addition to the financial crisis, heads of
state and government from the 27 member states will be looking to
approve the bloc's much-touted package of rules aimed at reducing CO2
emissions. The package aims to reduce overall bloc emissions by 20
percent by 2020 relative to 1990 levels.

Part of that package was a rule to require all new cars to emit just 130
grams of CO2 per kilometer travel, averaged over a manufacturer's entire
fleet. In an agreement reached last week, the original deadline of 2012
was staggered and will now come into full effect in 2015. Fines on
companies not meeting the target were also lowered.

Sticking Points

Apart from the auto industry, however, there are a number of other
sticking points, with numerous EU countries trying to secure exceptions
for their domestic industries. Poland's efforts to be granted
concessions due to its heavily coal-reliant energy sector have received
the most press. But Merkel too is looking for exceptions for Germany's
steel, chemical and cement factories.

German Economics Minister Michael Glos, in Brussels for a meeting of EU
ministers on the bloc's energy policy, echoed Merkel's pre-summit
comments on Monday. "It is incredibly important that competitiveness of
German industry not be endangered by the climate package," he said.

It wasn't just environmental groups who were critical of Merkel on
Monday. Former German Environment Minister Klaus Töpfer, of Merkel's own
Christian Democrats, told the Cologne daily Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger on
Monday that "climate policy cannot be treated as disposable when it
comes to proposals regarding economic stimulus. Doing so is acting
irresponsibly from both an economic and environmental perspective. Only
those who are ahead environmentally can create the jobs of the future.
Climate friendly production is the solution to the crisis, not the cause."

In her interview with Bild, Merkel also said that she is planning a
meeting for next Sunday in the Berlin chancellery to discuss possible
further steps to combat the financial and economic crises. In addition
to Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Finance Minister Peer
Steinbrück, Labor Minister Olaf Schulz and Economics Minister Glos, a
number of representatives from the banking industry will likewise be
invited as will economics experts.

Merkel has been heavily criticized for what many see as a hesitant
reaction to the worsening economy in Germany and the rest of Europe.
Seemingly in answer to such criticism, the chancellor told Bild: "The
point of the meeting next Sunday is a collective analysis to obtain the
most clarity possible about the economic developments we can expect in
2009. I will continue to keep all options open. But I am not a fan of
daily speculation about new possibilities."