Mixed messages

When the European Commission called this week for a binding legislation that would require carmakers to reduce new cars' CO2 emissions to an average of 120 grams per kilometer in 2012 Germany's industry unsurprisingly and uninspiringly has been quick with a very noisy response: binding limits at a fixed level of 120 would threat thousands of jobs in Germany and the competitiveness of the entire car industry. So far, so good - one would not expect a different response albeit some of us would wish for a more holistic one - thinking of climate change concerns instead of industry concerns only.

Here, Chancellor Merkel comes into the picture. No matter, whether looking at the G8 agenda or listening to her opening speech at the World Economic Forum - climate change is being pushed by her as an issue. A pity, that she is as quick as the car industry then in opposing any binding obligation that could indeed bring us closer to lowering CO2 emissions!

Moreover, the G8 agenda titled "growth and responsibility" cannot be read that it is about G8 countries' responsibility to spearhead policies and actions addressing the changing climate. Rather, it looks like Germany is spearheading the G8 this year in shifting the responsibility onto emerging powers such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa. Their rapid increase in energy consumption as well as consequently the increase in greenhouse gas emissions sounds like the greater challenge to the G8 than the changing climate per se. Though, it seems obvious that the G8 has not only the greatest capacity but also the greatest responsibility to lead by example.