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The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is taking place digitally this time due to the corona.

But the pandemic by no means dominated all thinking.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, EU President Ursula von der Leyen and climate activist Greta Thunberg used their speeches to call for significantly more speed on climate and environmental protection internationally.

The pandemic "has made our vulnerability to climate change" clear, said the Chancellor.

For a long time - especially at the previous meetings of the World Economic Forum of high-ranking politicians, scientists and corporate executives in Davos - there was talk about more sustainability in business.

Corona can be seen as confirmation of the correctness of this idea.

Concrete measures are now needed for the “Green Deal”

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"But now the time has come for action," emphasized the CDU politician.

This requires a multilateral approach and, above all, more determination.

“There is nothing good unless you do it,” said the Chancellor.

After all, the EU has now tightened its climate target during the corona crisis: By 2030, CO2 emissions should not be reduced by 40, as previously planned, but by 55 percent and reduced to zero by 2050.

The implementation of this “Green Deal” must be backed up with concrete measures within the EU in the next few months.

"That requires tough decisions," announced Merkel.

"But if we achieve the internationally agreed sustainability goals, we will be less vulnerable in the future." After all, many other disruptions to economic processes are to be feared in the wake of climate change.

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The Chancellor is assigning the state a more active role in converting the economy to climate neutrality.

Companies are not prepared by themselves to pursue goals such as environmental protection, CO2 reduction or biodiversity, but only focus on efficiency.

The state is therefore required to set up guard rails.

In terms of climate protection, she favors steering through CO2 pricing.

Politicians must also be open to technology and not rely, for example, on electromobility unilaterally.

Merkel campaigned for greater attention to be paid to compliance with values ​​such as climate protection and human rights in future in world trade and in bilateral economic agreements.

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As a positive example, she cited the investment protection agreement concluded shortly before the turn of the year between the EU and China, in which the Europeans also re-negotiated requirements on sustainability and labor standards.

In this sense, the World Trade Organization (WTO) should also focus more on “value-based trade” in the future, said Merkel.

However, it is currently evident that the internal European dispute over the negotiated, but also controversial EU-Mercosur agreement with the South American states, that such issues harbor a lot of potential for conflict.

In addition, there is always the risk that environmental and social standards will become a gateway for protectionism.

In the fight against the Covid 19 pandemic and the serious economic consequences in Germany, Merkel admitted some location weaknesses that Corona had relentlessly disclosed.

Protect the environment to prevent the next pandemic

The backlog in digitization and the excessive bureaucracy required rapid improvements.

In addition, the international supply chains have proven to be unreliable.

"We don't need regional protectionism, but we need a larger buffer in many places in the system."

EU President von der Leyen highlighted a direct connection between a lack of environmental and climate protection and the pandemic.

"If we don't act quickly to protect our environment, the next pandemic will soon be here," warned the CDU politician in her speech.

She sees Europe as a pioneer in overcoming ecological problems.

Europe will by no means follow the competition between China and the USA for global supremacy as a passive spectator.

Rather, according to von der Leyen, the EU itself is striving for a significant role in the world.

The international community has the right to set the necessary international standards, especially in the field of environmental protection - the greatest of all global challenges.

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The EU President underlined the importance of climate protection in Europe in dealing with the economic consequences of the corona crisis.

Both the seven-year EU budget of 1.2 trillion euros and the new 750 billion reconstruction fund would be used to a large extent for investments in CO2 reduction.

"This is the European Green Deal, the EU's new growth strategy," said von der Leyen.

In the next few years, private investments would be directed specifically towards sustainability through regulations, financial incentives and government contracts and investments.

In this way, both the economy and climate protection benefit, the German is certain.

With the planned CO2 border levy, the EU will also ensure that no competitor from third countries is more cost-effective only because of climate-damaging production.

Von der Leyen's haunting message to the decision-makers on the screens: "We now have the chance to change the way we live and do business in order to preserve what we value and love."

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In more drastic terms, but in terms of content on the same line, the Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg also sent warnings to the elite of politicians and entrepreneurs around the world.

"You've had three decades of blah, blah, blah," said the 18-year-old.

The problem can no longer be solved in the existing system.

Rather, the politicians should finally treat the climate and environmental emergency as an emergency and act accordingly.

The Swede criticized that promising climate neutrality for 2050 would not be enough by far.

"The speed of our actions leaves a lot to be desired"

Angela Merkel admitted failures in the fight against the corona pandemic at the World Economic Forum.

According to the Chancellor, many processes often take too long and are too bureaucratic.

Source: WORLD