Posted on 04/11/2020 6:15:35 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
The coronavirus crisis calls for an urgent review of Germany's climate targets under goals set by the European Union, the leader of the economic council of the conservative Christian Democrat party (CDU) said on Saturday.
The COVID-19 pandemic is "putting the German economy to the test," and the EU should consider a "deferment of climate policy targets," Wolfgang Steiger said in comments published in the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Steiger said the fallout from the pandemic on the economy could amount to a new "de-industrialization" of Germany. Experts are predicting a global recession as a result of the business shutdown and subsequent layoffs.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government pledged €750 billion in emergency aid funding in March to prop up the economy. Small companies and freelancers are eligible for up to €15,000 in direct subsidies, while larger companies can be stabilized with larger capital funds.
Despite the huge stimulus, Steiger told the paper the German economy could, for now, do without the financial burden of climate change goals.
However, Germany's environment minister, Svenja Schulze, warned against "connecting climate protection and economic prosperity." It may be possible "to use the exit from the corona-crisis to promote climate-compatible and sustainable economic structures," she said.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Morgan of the environmental activist group Greenpeace is among those who believe the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the weaknesses of the global economic system.
"We are being offered the chance to fundamentally change how things work," said Morgan of the shutdown brought about by the health emergency.
(Excerpt) Read more at dw.com ...
Climate change,meet reality.
Bad idea. We only have 11 years anyway. /s
No, Europe, you MUST meet EU climate targets.
That way, you’ll be no competition for the US as we watch your economies fail.
If Captain Obvious were known in the EU, they’d start putting pressure on the one nation polluting more than the rest combined - China.
Leftist Reasoning: What good is keeping people alive if they’re just going to be allowed to destroy the planet?
How dare you ignore me. I probably had the virus and anything else that would draw attention to Me Me Me.
No No No Yurps. Earth Mother Gaia demands a sacrifice. RIGHT NOW! There can be no delay. We only have 11 years left. Save da Erf!
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