In today’s report of the European commission on climatic protection goals, the Verein Chemischer Industrie (VCI, German Chemical Industry Association) does not see a reason to give an all-clear signal.
Dr. Utz Tillmann, director-general of the VCI, said: “The commission keeps itself open to the possibility of an one-sided 30-%-goal. Such promises without a further worldwide climatic protection agreement would be harmful for the European economy and a disservice to the climate. Europe must secure the future of its industry – we urgently need European industry’s products for the climate protection.”
The VCI, above all, criticizes the conclusion of the commission, that climate protection is easier because of the economic and financial crisis, as it became cheaper: “The European economy begins to slightly recover. Setbacks are not impossible.”
Contrary to the commission, according to Tillmann the danger of the so called “carbon leakage” remains invariably high: In consequence of one-sided climatic protection defaults, parts of production, together with the associated jobs, could move out of the European Union into countries with lower climatic standards. The emissions there would then exceed the saving of greenhouse gases in Europe many times over.
