It is well known that the German renewable energy law (Erneuerbaren Energieen Gesezt) has enabled a lot of renewable energy initiatives to blossom. The German Environment Ministry estimates that 200,000 new jobs have been created in the solar and wind energy sectors alone.

Still, Klaus Töpfer criticised Germany for not doing enough to reduce its emissions. Germany has annual emissions of about 10 tonnes of CO2 per capita, about half the emissions per capita of the United States, but considerably more than for example France (7 tonnes/capita, thanks to ample nuclear power plants).

“The EU energy targets can only be reached if Germany, as Europe’s biggest economy, plays along,” Mr Dimas said in an interview with the German newspaper ‘Die Welt’. Dimas specifically targeted his comments at the German car industry, which specialises in powerful cars with high emissions per kilometre. Dimas: “The future lies in energy saving and environmentally friendly cars, and not in vehicles that waste energy.”

“I will raise the issue at the G8 summit in Heiligendamm in June,” Chancellor Angela Merkel reacted.

More information:

List of national emissions per capita at Wikipedia

Die Welt, 8 April 2007 „Steigende Temperature, aussterbende Tierarte – was Deutschland tun muss“