As of: March 9, 2024, 8:47 p.m
By: Jens Kiffmeier
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Solve your damn problems: Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) gave a fiery speech at Columbia University.
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
Too little effort: During his trip to the USA, Robert Habeck (Greens) castigated the host's climate policy.
He has enough problems of his own at home.
New York – Undiplomatic and clear language: Robert Habeck certainly has the talent to explain complicated issues simply.
That's why the Germans loved him for a long time.
But the anger over the heating law had recently caused him a lot of trouble and put a big dent in his image as a people's favorite.
But now the Green has given vent to his penchant for headline-grabbing sentences.
Speech at Columbia University: Habeck attacks Biden for wrong climate policy during his trip to the USA
During his current trip to the USA, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) sharply criticized his hosts' climate policy - and didn't mince his words.
“Solve the fucking problems,” said the Vice Chancellor in a speech to students at New York’s Columbia University, which in German means something like: Solve your damn problems.
As
ZDF
reported, the German Vice Chancellor specifically accused the US government in his speech that the United States had one of the highest CO₂ emissions per capita in the world and that President Joe Biden's government was not doing enough to change that.
Habeck has been traveling in the USA for a few days.
During visits to New York, Washington and Chicago, the Minister of Economic Affairs meets with government and business representatives.
The trip primarily focuses on trade policy and the transition of the economy in times of climate change.
Climate change: Habeck is asking for cooperation in the USA - but is Trump playing along?
From Habeck's perspective, the USA is at risk of missing its goals, particularly when it comes to protecting against climate change.
“I hear a lot of talk and I know that your government has made the decision to become climate neutral like Europe in 2050,” criticized the Green in his speech to the New York students, adding: “But you are far, far away from it “explained the Green politician.
“Sorry, but you’re not on track.
The USA is not on track.
Neither was Germany.
Now I’m getting it on track.”
From Habeck's point of view, the low energy prices in the United States are primarily to blame for the poor climate balance.
Even before his departure to the USA, the Vice Chancellor had called for less protectionism and more transatlantic cooperation.
Only through cooperation can geopolitical conflicts be overcome, the green transformation promoted and at the same time the innovative power of the transatlantic economic area strengthened in the long term, according to a press release from his authority.
Unfortunately, even under US President Joe Biden, the trend towards isolation policy continues.
“Everything was destroyed”: Habeck sees Trump’s re-election like a hawk
Biden is still considered a moderate.
In November he will have to stand for re-election - against, of all people, rival Donald Trump.
The populist Republican candidate has already announced that if he wins the election he will once again live up to the America First principle and increase tariffs.
The federal government views the development with growing concern for various reasons.
In this case, Habeck can probably expect even less joint efforts in the fight against climate change than now.
Trump is well on his way to “destroying” any transatlantic cooperation, warned Habeck in an interview with the
dpa
news agency .
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But to what extent Biden and Trump take the German's statements seriously remains to be seen.
After all, Habeck still has enough problems of his own to fix at home.
Last Thursday, the Federal Audit Office reprimanded the federal government regarding the progress of the energy transition in Germany and particularly criticized the high electricity prices.
Overall, the traffic light coalition is doing too little with the measures, the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(FAZ) quoted the President of the Court of Auditors Kay Scheller as saying.
Nevertheless, Habeck did not want to let the criticism stand.
The Green Party said he “takes note” of the statement.
But electricity generation prices are at pre-war levels and the expansion of renewables is picking up speed.
“I’m not saying we’re through.
But to say that the federal government is not doing enough (…) is an astonishing perception that has nothing to do with reality,” the Green clarified.
(
jkf
)