Heinen-Esser: Removal of environmentally harmful subsidies
At a two-day meeting in Paris environment ministers from OECD countries opted for green growth in developed and emerging economies. Ursula Heinen-Esser, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry welcomed the fact that the OECD was tackling the issue. She added that efforts promised by developed and emerging economies should be subject to continuous and critical reviews based on recognised indicators. "The OECD should check carefully whether countries really do remove environmentally harmful subsidies" said Heinen-Esser.
The OECD Environment Ministers' meeting of 29 and 30 March was influenced by the conclusions of the new "OECD Environmental Outlook 2050". Against the background of continuous population growth and the need of emerging economies to catch up their development, the OECD outlook mainly predicts trends that give rise to concern. If developed and major emerging economies continue on the same path to growth as before, climate change, the loss of biodiversity, ever scarcer water supply and the impact of pollution and chemicals on public health may even reach threatening dimensions.
The environment ministers agreed that green growth with its focus on energy and resource efficiency, renewable energy sources and the spread of green technologies must be the solution. The OECD will analyse framework conditions and instruments of successful green growth and identify obstacles to this process. In their declaration, the ministers stated that the Rio+20 UN Conference in June in Brazil must pave the path towards inclusive and equitable development.
Ms Heinen-Esser stated: "With its experience in expanding renewable energies and transforming the energy system, Germany can contribute to this process". This is also goes for the development of urgently needed new finance mechanisms for government support of green growth such as the targeted use of funding from auctions within emissions trading".
For results of the OECD Environment Ministers meeting see the Summary of South-Korean Environment Minister at