Dying forests mean Germany loses “most important climate action ally” – minister
Deutschlandfunk / Die Welt
As German forests continue to suffer from heat damage and bark-beetle infestation, the country’s “most important ally for climate action” is in danger, writes agriculture minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) in a guest commentary in Die Welt. “If we lose parts of our forest, it will be difficult for us to compensate for this loss with other climate action measures.” In an interview with Deutschlandfunk, Klöckner said that rebuilding the forests and making them more climate-resilient is a task for generations. Klöckner has invited state forest ministers from her party, the Christian Democratic Union, to a summit today (1 August) to develop a plan to prevent forest dieback.
Germany’s forests have recently shifted into the focus of German climate policy efforts, as prolonged droughts have begun to take a toll on the country’s biggest ecosystems. Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised funds from Germany’s climate and energy fund for reforestation.
