German envoy to raise energy security, climate on US visit

BERLIN — Germany’s vice chancellor is touring to Washington for talks with U.S. officers that may focus on energy safety and the necessity to ramp up renewable energy provides within the wake of Russia’s assault on Ukraine.

Germany will get a big share of its energy from Russia within the type of coal, oil and fuel. The invasion of Ukraine final week was sharply condemned by Berlin, which joined different Western nations in imposing sanctions towards Russia and halted the Nord Stream 2 fuel pipeline venture.

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, who can also be Germany’s financial system and climate minister, mentioned Monday that larger emphasis on energy independence might assist efforts to cut back emissions of planet-heating greenhouse gases launched by burning fossil fuels.

“The only forms of energy that don’t belong to anyone, where nobody can say ‘it’s all mine and I’m going to blackmail you with,’ are wind and solar,” he instructed reporters.

“What we were discussing a half a year ago in terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions we’re now discussing in terms of energy security and sovereignty,” mentioned Habeck, who’s due to meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, White Home nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan and climate envoy John Kerry throughout his two-day journey.

In a particular session of parliament Sunday, Germany’s finance minister mentioned the federal government would place larger emphasis on energy safety within the coming years in gentle of the warfare in Ukraine.

“Renewable energy releases us from dependence,” Christian Lindner mentioned. “That’s why renewable energy is freedom energy.”

U.N. Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres mentioned Monday on the launch of a brand new report by the worldwide physique’s climate science panel that “current events make all too clear, our continued reliance on fossil fuels makes the global economy and energy security vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises.”

“Instead of slowing down the decarbonization of the global economy, now is the time to accelerate the energy transition to a renewable energy future,” he mentioned.

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