Germany, EU committed to shifting away from fossil fuel, reduce emissions soon: German federal minister

Ahmed Kotb , Thursday 17 Nov 2022

Steffi Lemke, the German federal minister for the environment, nature conservation, nuclear safety and consumer protection asserted on Tuesday the commitment of Germany and the European Union to shifting away from fossil fuel and reducing emissions as fast as possible.

Steffi Lemke, the German federal minister for the environment, natural conservation, nuclear safety
Steffi Lemke, the German federal minister for the environment, natural conservation, nuclear safety and consumer protection:

 

Her remarks came during her participation at COP27 held 6-18 November at Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

"We want to see ambitious programs that lead to keeping 1.5 c global warming target,” she said.

Lemke maintained that the European Union has stated clearly that its member states were continuously reviewing their goals and increasing climate action targets.

“Renewable energy sources are the answer to climate neutrality, and are essential for a global energy transition to happen effectively.”

She noted that Germany has carried out many partnerships before and during COP27 to reach climate neutrality.

Germany has provided about 1.5 billion euros for hydrogen projects worldwide to help countries move away from fossil fuels.

According to Lemke, public and private sectors are essential in climate finance efforts, and there is a need to create a tool as fast as possible for Loss and Damage to help countries most affected by climate change.

Moreover, she asserted that increasing growth rates during energy transition is essential. “We need concrete steps to accelerate energy transition in a socially viable way,” she said

By the end of COP27, Lemke said, “fossil fuels need to come out as losers, and renewables like solar and wind need to come out as winners.” 

Short link: