Industry Commits to Climate Protection in Times of Financial Crisis
“Especially during recession the German industry adheres to the EU climate goals. Climate protection and economic growth can be linked to equal advantage. In general they do not conflict one another. However, climate protection must be established in a way that ensures incentives for sustainable growth and fair competition”, BDI President Hans-Peter Keitel declared at an event organized by BDI’s initiative ‘Business for Climate Protection’ on March 24th 2009.
This assessment is confirmed by the updated BDI/McKinsey climate study. Under consideration of the strong volatility of energy prices in 2008 the study comes to the following conclusion: A reduction of green house gas emissions (GHG) by 30 percent until 2020 is feasible in Germany, even under extreme volatility of energy prices. “There is an enormous potential for GHG mitigation, and using it pays off for companies, no matter what the oil price is”, Keitel stated.
Peter Löscher, CEO of Siemens AG and chair of BDI’s initiative ‘Business for Climate Protection’, said: “The crisis is a chance to set the course for ecological and at the same time economical sustainability. Today we already have numerous solutions to lower GHG emissions with ways to generate and use energy more efficiently. Now these solutions need to be realized. Plus, most of these technologies pay off with the savings made. That’s why climate protection is an enormous chance for growth on the side of German industry.” With a market share of 16 percent Germany is already the leading exporter of environmental technologies. Almost 1,8 million people in Germany work in these sectors. “And the numbers are rising. We have a clear trend from ‘blue collar’ to ‘green collar’ jobs”, Löscher pointed out. “We have a technological advantage which we have to maintain and improve. But here we need political support, in order for climate protection to be a motor of growth”, Löscher said. “All over the world economic stimulus programs are running and this money must be invested wisely.” In this context Löscher specifically endorsed the key aspects of the second German stimulus program.
BDI President Keitel called for politics to be reflective and sensitive in their regulation policies: “Especially in the current recession additional obligations and costs exacerbate the crisis for companies, put off the turning point, and destroy jobs.” Referring to the European revision directive for the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), he added: “We commit ourselves to the European goal of lowering emissions by 21 percent until 2020 compared to results from 2005 – in Germany even by 30 percent - and are investing heavily in this goal. Generally we also approve of the instrument of auctioning emission rights. But as long as non-European competitors can compete without these costs, we refuse to accept that companies should have to buy their rights. The funds available for climate protection are better invested in climate friendly endeavours.”
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