Shortly before the end of her term in office, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) admitted failings and disappointments in climate protection policy.
Measured against the goal of limiting the global rise in climate to two degrees, "not enough happened" during her chancellorship, said Merkel on Thursday at her summer press conference in Berlin.
"That's why the pace has to be increased."
Merkel also emphasized her personal commitment to the fight against global warming. "I am of the opinion that I have put a lot of effort into protecting the climate," she said. "And yet, with a scientific understanding, I am sufficiently equipped to see that the objective conditions require that one cannot continue at that pace, but has to get faster."
At the same time, the Chancellor pointed out that there was great resistance around the world to efficient climate protection - for example in the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. "I experienced a lot of disappointments at the time," said Merkel.
You have "used very, very much energy in my political life to find majorities so that we could at least go this way".
This "actually shaped my entire political work".
pw / cne