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Germans get cold feet over climate targets

Sunday, 23rd November 2008

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing a rebellion among political allies over her support for the EU's lunatic plan to "combat climate change."

It was Mrs Merkel who persuaded fellow European leaders to promise a 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. This unrealistic and possibly dangerous scheme is to be submitted for approval at the EU summit in three weeks' time.

But German conservatives who supposedly support Merkel told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper they want the plan watered down and delayed because of the deepening recession.

Bavarian premier Horst Seehofer said: "The carbon dioxide reduction targets at the EU level must be organised so they do not endanger jobs." Bavaria is home to the car companies BMW and Audi.

Mr Seehofer added that the car industry needed more time to tackle emissions targets. "What good are multi-million-euro fines for violating emissions rules if at the end of the day the jobs are gone?"

He was supported by fellow-Bavarian Michael Glos, the German economy minister, who said the country could ill-afford to make a priority of climate protection with the economy hobbled by the global financial crisis. "It is not the time to burden the economy with excessive environmental targets."

And in Lower Saxony, conservative premier Christian Wulff demanded a two-year delay for the EU climate package.

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