Climate protection as a global task

AmCham Germany’s position on current challenges in energy and climate policy

Berlin, September 19, 2019  – With the upcoming meeting of the German federal government’s climate cabinet tomorrow, AmCham Germany has published a position paper on challenges in energy and climate policy. In doing so, AmCham Germany reiterates its commitment to the goals set out by the Paris climate agreement in 2015 and calls for dependable and reliable energy and climate policies for companies. Necessary changes that were announced in the German government’s coalition agreement have to be implemented in a fast and reliable manner.  

“Climate protection is a global task, and therefore also a transatlantic one,” says Frank Sportolari, President of AmCham Germany. In order to increase the competitiveness of companies in all sectors, energy and climate-related policy decisions should focus on creating a level playing field globally. “To enable companies to work successfully, different regulations in the transatlantic economic area should not exist. We need a fair framework for everyone,” says Sportolari.

A global CO2 pricing system is necessary to put climate protection into practice. Nearly 80% of global CO2 emissions are produced outside the EU. “Only a global pricing system provides comparable production conditions und guarantees international competiveness,” says Dr. Birgit Ortlieb, Director Government Affairs Germany at Dow Germany Inc, under whose direction the Energy & Climate Committee of AmCham Germany has written the position paper. “Companies need global solutions when competing internationally and we should see that as a chance to protect the environment,” says Ortlieb.

The economic success of companies on both sides of the Atlantic is also dependent on smart energy policy decisions. For this reason, AmCham Germany applauds the growing diversification in the natural gas market in Germany and Europe. However, the German federal government should also create more incentives in the electricity market for renewable energy plants and flexible gas power stations to be built faster and easier, thereby preventing a shortage in the coming years.

The entire position paper can be found here.

For the press release in German, click here.

For further information, please contact:

Katharina-Luise Kittler
Manager, Communications
American Chamber of Commerce in Germany e.V.
kkittler@amcham.de 
+49 030 2130056 – 34

For more detailed information please contact:

Heather Liermann

Head of Department

Membership Engagement & Development