Merkel calls for increase in energy research
If Europe wants to reduce its dependency on external energy supplies and protect its environment in the long term, it has to step up energy research, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Ms Merkel spoke of recent concerns in the European Union over securing external energy supplies, underlining the need for better market-economy regulations between the EU and energy suppliers such as Russia. But in the long term, Europe has to find other ways to guarantee its energy supplies, while also protecting the environment, said the Chancellor. She referred to a report 'Limits to Growth' published in 1972 by the Club of Rome, which warned against treating nature irresponsibly. 'We are now all too aware of the dramatic consequences of climate change. 'We only have to look around Europe, starting in Germany. Our children born today won't see any ice on the Zugspitze in 2020. In my part of Germany, we worry whether there will be any trees, such as oak trees, in future. In Spain and Portugal, droughts and desertification are on the increase. If we look at Africa, then we know that some of the migratory flows are due to damage to the environment,' warned Ms Merkel. Contrary to the1972 Club of Rome report, which drew the conclusion that zero growth was the solution to climate change, Ms Merkel believes that the answer is elsewhere. 'Zero growth would ultimately result in the preservation of the status quo, an absolutely unacceptable idea for emerging economies and developing countries.' 'The answer is greater innovation, particularly in environmental technologies,' said the Chancellor. This requires combining interests in ecology and the economy intelligently. Europe has already made some headway in developing renewable energies for climate protection, said Ms Merkel. But she stressed that more progress would be needed in the future. She welcomed the recent energy package by the European Commission, which aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020. The package aims to do this by improving energy efficiency, increasing the use of renewable energy, promoting the use of biofuels, and developing greater use of so-called 'clean' fossil fuel technologies. Ms Merkel pointed to the US, where she said people were also becoming more aware of the importance of energy efficiency and new technologies. She applauded the announcement recently made by US President George Bush, promising to reduce oil consumption by 20% over the next 10 years, 'That is an ambitious target which will enable us to enter into a sensible competition. But it is also absolutely necessary,' she noted. But politics alone cannot prevent climate change; we therefore need global responsibility, argued the Chancellor. She concluded by praising the recently launched '3C' business leaders' initiative to combat climate change as an outstanding example of how business can take responsibility for tackling the climate quest. The companies involved in the initiative are calling for the integration of climate issues into markets and trade through a global framework which would come into force in 2013.
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