Berlin, November 8 (BNA) Outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the protests of young people demanding more ambition in climate protection are justified.
Merkel told Deutsche Welle in an interview published on Sunday evening before the start of the hot phase of the COP26 climate conference, Deutsche News Agency (dpa) reported.
The chancellor said the international community had already gotten faster on climate protection, but stressed that “the gap between scientific estimates and reality has never been greater.”
“I tell the young people that they need to put more pressure on them. We must be faster,” she said.
The interview with Deutsche Welle was one of the last to be given by Merkel as German chancellor, as she prepares to leave office 16 years after the September 26 elections.
Merkel stressed that change must occur in this decade. “We have to pay attention again to scientific estimates, and that means sticking to global warming of 1.5 degrees [Celsius]. “
After mass protests in Glasgow and around the world over the weekend, the COP26 summit began its second and crucial week.
Several ministers and heads of government are scheduled to travel on Monday to Scotland to give impetus to the negotiations, where about 200 countries have been represented.
German Environment Minister Svenja Schulz is due to travel to Scotland at the weekend. The Social Democratic politician is involved in negotiations for a coalition between the SPD, the Green Party and the pro-business FDP.
MI