German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stressed the urgency of climate protection measures.
"According to my firm conviction, climate change is a challenge for humankind," she told German magazine Ponte in its issue to be released today. "We need a more sustainable lifestyle, and time is squeezing looking at our children and grandchildren."
Merkel said the climate package aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions over the coming years and achieve climate targets by 2030.
"Young people have the right to make their life aspirations the norm," she said. "I know that I am not a role model in this area.
She rejected the continued reliance on nuclear and coal-fired power, adding that nuclear energy is carbon dioxide-free, but it is not a sustainable form of power generation.
Merkel said her country currently produces a lot of electricity from coal and nuclear power, even if renewable energy now plays a more important role. "Stopping the use of these two types of energy in a row is sound, but it's also a big challenge," she said.