Germany's green hypocrisy

A German hypocrite

In order to show her "green" credentials, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (along with other leading German politicians) likes to talk about the catastrophe that will brought upon humanity if the international community is not able to agree on a binding global agreement reducing purported  human caused global warming. At the Petersberger Climate Dialogue last July, Merkel warned that non-action will have "terrible consequences" for the world. 

But all this "greenie talk" is of course nothing but political window dressing. On other fora the same Merkel openly - and rightly - praises Germany's incredible export successes, the main reason behind the country's stable economic development. 

A considerable part of the German export success comes from the exports of "polluting" luxury cars to China (and also Russia): 

China's luxury car sales increased about 18 percent to 1.2 million units last year. German companies together accounted for three-quarters of the total.

German automakers continued their reign in China's luxury car market last year, again reporting record sales to consolidate a dominance that is unlikely to be challenged in foreseeable future.

In 2011 the total value of German exports to China was 65 billion euros, and according to the Federation of the German Export Trade it is only a matter of time before China will overtake France as the number one German export country. 

The German export industry is to be congratulated for the country's export "miracle". But to boast about it, while at the same time warning about the catastrophic consequences of global warming is pure hypocrisy. But that's what Merkel and most politicians everywhere specialize in, hoping that nobody will notice ...