Germany brands US climate plan a ‘Trojan horse’

June 3, 2007

Germany was seething yesterday about President Bush’s surprise proposals on climate change that have stolen Angela Merkel’s thunder and complicated the G8 summit. The German Chancellor herself gave the President’s announcement a terse welcome, but there was no mistaking the irritation in Berlin, and indeed, in much of Europe. Only Tony Blair managed to summon some enthusiasm. The US plan, said Sigmar Gabriel, the German Environment Minister, could not be allowed to become “a Trojan horse to get past Heiligendamm and basically torpedo the international climate protection process”. Mrs Merkel had set out what she thought to be a broadly acceptable “road map” for the summit, which starts on Wednesday. Her aim is to ensure that the world’s average temperatures do not rise by more than 2C (3.6F). She was therefore urging the G8 to cut their 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2050. That could ease the way to a new

climate settlement, with talks in December at the end of the German presidency. Mr Bush’s idea for getting a deal between the top emitters by the end of next year seems to blur the Merkel guidelines. “No mandatory reductions, no carbon trading and vaguely expressed objectives,” summarised Stavros Dimas, the EU Environment Commissioner. There were stronger words from the government-supported Deutsche Welle. An independent commentator for the broadcaster asked of the President: “Who takes this man seriously?” Mrs Merkel, he noted, had simply described the President’s announcement as an important statement. “What else could she do? The rug is being pulled out from under her feet – 12 months of hard bilateral and multilateral negotiation may have been wasted, but still Merkel has to remain diplomatic.” Chancellery advisers will be meeting over the weekend to see how the G8 agenda

can be tailored to the new situation. Mrs Merkel is expected to have lunch with the President on Wednesday before the summit begins in earnest. A spokesman said: “I think we can say at this stage that it’s going to be tough.” One Berlin diplomat predicted that Mrs Merkel would call on the British Prime Minister to help to pin the President down to more concrete promises. Money talks — 2010 deadline set at last G8 summit for doubling annual aid to Africa to £25 billion — £509m increase in development aid announced this week by Angela Merkel — 100,000 demonstrators expected at event, according to German antiglobalisation groups — 16,000 police keeping them away from the site — £1.4m estimated cost of the 7.5mile fence Source: Times archives Have your say They think that by riding in like the Cavalry at the last minute, they're going to save the world and live to make more vainglorious movies about it! Well it's not like the last two world wars, when Yankee money and eventually their manpower, helped us. This is something that even the almighty USA cannot control. Peter Day, Doncaster, Yorkshire/UK Peter H

Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign up for your free

account today.