Merkel Calls for 'Global Price' on Carbon Emissions

On Thursday, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel supported the establishment of a "global price" for polluting emissions and called for "greater ambition" in the fight against the climate emergency.

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During the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, Merkel said her country is prepared to increase its "national ambition" but also stressed that the fight against the climate emergency requires "global solidarity."

In this regard, the German Chancellor praised the proposals put forward by U.S. President Joe Biden and the initiatives launched at the national level by other countries such as Canada. However, Merkel stressed that national efforts should be united in "harmonized global mechanisms."

The Petersberg Dialogue is a virtual preparatory event for the G7 summit to be held in Cornwall (England) in June and the United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP26) which is convened in Glasgow (Scotland) in November.

Next week, the German government is expected to approve policies to achieve climate neutrality by 2045 by reducing pollutant emissions by 65 percent by 2030. These targets are higher than the goals set by the European Union.

Merkel has confirmed her intention to approve the new targets in the current legislative period, which will end after the general election on September 26.

The new emissions reduction policy is a response to the Federal Constitutional Court ruling that urged the German government to improve the 2019 Climate Protection Act on the grounds that it was unfair to younger generations.