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Angela Merkel was once the Green Goddess who pushed through tough climate change targets to show that Europe could lead the world in beating global warming.

Under huge pressure to shield German industry from the cost of going green, however, she has been transformed into Frau Nein — fighting to reverse key goals that she once championed.

As EU leaders meet to complete the targets today the German Chancellor, who was so firmly in Europe's driving seat just a year ago, also seems off-message over the other main item on the agenda: the size of the recovery plan needed to beat the recession.

Merkel has suddenly discovered that Germany can't afford the cost of achieving the targets, whether she agrees with the hoax being perpetrated or not.

One of the key mechanisms is the EU's emissions trading scheme, which, from 2013, will force companies to buy carbon credits — each worth one metric tonne of CO2 — which they can trade if they cut pollution.

Since the scheme was drawn up, however, the recession has given extra weight to arguments that the rump of European industry will be forced out of business by the extra costs.

German industry, in particular, has complained that it faces “carbon leakage” — the relocation of steel, aluminium and cement production to countries much less scrupulous about pollution and free from targets and emissions trading.

Mrs Merkel arrives in Brussels today demanding free carbon credits for 90 to 100 per cent of German factories until 2020 - blowing a hole in a key climate change scheme.

And with Germany wavering, many other nations, such as Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic, will stiffen their opposition to such targets.

Merkel's opposition is not sitting well with the usual suspects:

Jan Kowalzig, a climate change campaigner with Oxfam in Germany, said: “Angela Merkel was the first Environment Minister that Germany ever had. We were surprised at how progressive she was at first but she has now come back more to her conservative party position. In the context of the elections next year, she is giving the impression that German jobs are more important than climate change.”

To the Chancellor of Germany, German jobs are more important than "climate change", especially when the economic position is precarious anyway.

But I have to wonder how much of this is pragmatic politics based in the reality of the world's economy and how much of it may be a dawning realization that much of the climate change issue is pseudo-scientific hysteria?

I guess it is one thing to talk the talk when you're an environmental minister, but another thing to actually have to live with the consequences of that talk if you were to put it in action as the Chancellor. You can only hope that the incoming US administration has just such an epiphany before it ruins our economy.

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You can only hope that the incoming US administration has just such an epiphany before it ruins our economy.

Bush already ruined our economy. Where are you writing from? Mars?

Written By: David Shaughnessy
URL: http://

Yeah David, right.

Written By: Grimshaw
URL: http://

"Bush already ruined our economy."

Yep, it was Bush who allowed the mortgage frenzy since the late 1990s that led to the mortgage meltdown. Oops, that was Barney Frank.

And, to be honest, it was Bush who voted to raise taxes on everyone. Oops, that was the Democrats.

Then again, it was Bush who allowed the automakers to spend their way into bankruptcy. Actually, it was the unions, backing the Democrats, who did that.

So, it looks like Bush was responsible for the bad economy. But since The Clown™ can do no wrong, and is the second coming of the Messiah, surely once he takes office next month he will merely raise his bony hand and the economy will begin to shine.

Then again, when unemployment reaches 8% next year, and the deficit tops $1 trillion, all under The Clown™, perhaps the dimwitted Left can come up with a new explanation as to why things suck.

Written By: James Marsden
URL: http://

Ok, David, this is where you show your work. Mind you, I am not a big fan of President Bush, especially as it pertains to domestic policy, but reflexive snarky comments just irk me.

Written By: RFN
URL: http://

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) just issued the Environment and Public Works minority report on anthropogenic global warming citing 650 prominent scientists who are skeptical of the IPCC report. An interesting detail is that only 52 scientists support the IPPC. I think the entire pdf will be available this afternoon.

The wheels are coming off of Al Gore’s "consensus."

Written By: arch
URL: http://

"...the rump of European industry will be forced out of business..."??? OK, I give, what’s the rump of industy? And what business is it in?

RJP

Written By: RJP
URL: http://

"...the rump of European industry will be forced out of business..."??? OK, I give, what’s the rump of industy? And what business is it in?

She’s worried about methane being the next climate altering gas to be controlled and...well...the rest is obvious.

Written By: looker
URL: http://

David Shaughnessy’s comment, snarky and even unjust as it is, nevertheless reveals an important truth about our country: we look to the president to fix EVERYTHING. This is wonderful if you happen to be a member of Congress, the CEO of a major corporation, or a union leader, because you aren’t responsible for anything. However, if you are John Q. Public, it’s a damned dangerous attitude. At the very least, it prevents a hard, rational look at why things really go wrong and leads to foolish decisions in the ballot box. At the very worst, it keeps concentrating power in the hands of the president; dictatorship lies at the end of that road.

Written By: docjim505
URL: http://

From a political perspective, the president owns the economy, especially when the president has been in office for 7 years. Fair or not, that’s the way it is. But it isn’t just vicarious liability here. The Bush Administration’s policies — a mindless addiction to oil, putting the Iraq War on credit, relentless & dangerous de-regulation of EVERYTHING — they have all contributed to the storm that is engulfing the economy. Certainly, factors outside of Bush’s control have also contributed, but when you’re the president you’re only blameless if you are REALLY blameless. And Bush ain’t.

Written By: David Shaughnessy
URL: http://

Of course the simple FACT that Bush wanted to re-regulate Fannie and Freddie in 2003 and was blocked by the Democrat ability to threaten a filibuster doesn’t exist in David-land.

Written By: SDN
URL: http://

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