Speeches

IHK Frankfurt

Mr. Gräßle,
Mr. Dannenmann,
Dr. Scheer and Mr. Benforado,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning and welcome to this year’s Earth Day celebration. Consulate General Frankfurt has worked with the German Committee of Earth Day International for more than a decade, and I would like to thank the Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce and Industry for hosting this event today and for their wonderful ongoing cooperation with us. I hope this cooperation will become a tradition -- not for tradition’s sake, but because protecting the earth's climate and resources is one of the most urgent challenges facing us today. My thanks go also to our distinguished speakers, Dr. Scheer and Mr. Benforado, for sharing their time and expertise today.

Earth Day is an annual occasion to remind ourselves of our responsibilities to protect the environment and the natural gifts of our planet. Earth Day is observed around the world, although nowhere (yet) is it a national holiday. In the U. S., Earth Day reminds us of how environmental awareness played a fundamental part in the establishment of some of the world's first and most famous national parks. Earth Day is also a symbolic reminder that protecting the environment - once the pastime of a few conservationists like Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir - is now very much in the mainstream of American and European thought.

Earth Day began with the environmental vision of a U.S. Senator. In the late 1960’s, Senator Gaylord Nelson (from Wisconsin, the partner state of Hessen) marveled at the effectiveness of “teach-in” events discussing the Vietnam War. Those teach-ins inspired him to organize the first nationwide environmental protest in the spring of 1970. More than 20 million people participated in peaceful events all across the U.S. Those nationwide demonstrations shook the political arena and highlighted the environmental costs of America's industrial might.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970, followed by an expanded Clean Air Act (1970), the Clean Water Act (1972), and the Endangered Species Act (1973). In many respects, these laws led the way for Europe and other developed countries.

Among the many far-reaching provisions of these bills was a requirement to use unleaded gasoline, a fleet-wide minimum fuel efficiency, and the early introduction of catalytic converters to limit toxic fumes released by automobile exhaust.

The success of these measures -- and energy efficiency following the oil crises of 1973 and 1979 -- was remarkable: the United States managed to quadruple its gross domestic product while increasing energy use by only a little more than half.

Today we know that even managed growth of resource consumption has consequences for the global climate, and that poses a tremendous challenge for our societies and economies. Both Europe and the U.S. confront the problem of climate change at the same time that they are coping with higher energy prices and problems of energy security -- all of which call for new technology and much greater efficiency. I think we can all agree that energy efficiency is a critical step toward energy security.

The U.S. approach combines mandatory rules, private initiatives, and incentive programs to stimulate producers and consumers to make new choices. We are counting on new technologies -- in biofuels, fuel cells, clean coal, and so on -- to help us manage this transition.

In January, the U.S. government announced the first increase in vehicle efficiency standards in a generation. Through the "Twenty in Ten" plan which includes a dramatic increase in our use of bio-fuels, we hope to reduce gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next ten years.

Rather than "top-down" regulation, much U.S. effort is "bottom-up" as state and local governments partner with industry to improve energy efficiency in construction, transportation, and consumer goods and appliances. In American schools, we find a tremendous awareness of the environment, whether the issue is rainforests, recycling, or global warming. I’ve observed the same thing here in Germany. We are all increasingly aware of the effects of climate change and resource depletion on our environment. We must all be part of the solution.

As leaders among industrialized nations, the U.S. and Germany have major roles to play. Fundamental research from American universities and national laboratories, combined with legendary German skills in perfecting and applying new technologies, makes us tremendous natural partners. Together, our countries are working to understand, to limit, and to adapt to climate change.

Mr. Dannenmann, Hr. Gräßle, thank you again for giving us this opportunity to make a difference today and tomorrow, and for future generations.