Germany's head of state Gauck calls for action on climate protection

Osnabrück (ots) -

German president spoke out at the opening of "Environment Week" -
leading industrial nations called upon to keep their promises

"I am convinced that there is no better breeding ground for our
ideas and solutions than our open society with open markets and free
and fair competition. It is urgent to establish a reliable political
framework so that we can avoid harmful factors and reach our desired
goals. In my opinion, an environmental policy based on the market
economy and the promotion of growth means that the costs of pollution
and environmental risks are paid for by those who cause them, and not
by the taxpayer. And also that environmentally- friendly production
methods bring competition benefits for companies." - It was with
these words that Germany's head of state, Joachim Gauck, today
launched "Environment Week" in the park of Bellevue Palace in Berlin,
a project of the German president and the Deutsche Bundestiftung
Umwelt (DBU).

Gauck stressed that the international community of states had
taken a small, but not insignificant step forward at the end of last
year in Durban when it "finally set out on the path" towards a global
climate agreement from 2020. Gauck: "All leading industrial nations
in Europe and worldwide must be prepared to take this path! Germany,
as well as the USA, Japan, Canada, China and India. Anyone who delays
to gain a short-term advantage will hurt themselves and everyone else
in the long term. I am confident that this realization will prevail:
sustainability no longer means restrictions or doing without, but
responsibility and rationality. Humanity, human life, every form of
life can only unfold on this earth in harmony with nature, not in
conflict with it. Otherwise it destroys itself. For this reason, the
only things that make economic sense in the long term are those that
make ecological sense."

Today and tomorrow, around 200 companies and institutions will be
presenting new technologies, products and projects that promote the
sustainable treatment of resources. The presentations in the park of
Bellevue Palace are intended to give an overview of the range and
variety of activities in environmental technology, research,
education and protection and to demonstrate that this is an important
issue for the future that is of great significance for Germany. Four
hundred experts in almost 100 forums will also discuss issues
connected with conservation, sustainability, energy efficiency,
protection of resources, climate and nature, and mobility, as well as
tourism, leisure and sport, food, building and housing.

More information at www.dbu.de

Contact:
Franz-Georg Elpers
Telefon: 0541|9633521
Telefax: 0541|9633198
presse@dbu.de