If you know Germany you know that it's pretty common, almost 'common sense', to claim that Germany is doing better than other countries re: climate & environment.
Journalist here calls it an "undisputed climate leader"
I use data for 2019, and not relative reduction data because if:
- your emissions were very high
- you have reduced them more than others (in relative terms)
- but they're still higher than others in absolute terms
to me you're not a *leader*, you're just converging
Total emissions (including aviation): higher in Germany than in all other countries considered here except Poland.
Look at the difference with France!
Now sector by sector.
ENERGY INDUSTRIES: again, second behind Poland. And look at the difference with France.
IRON AND STEEL
Germany has by far the highest emissions of all countries considered. More than twice their values.
TRANSPORT
Here the differences between countries are less pronounced (everyone sucks at transport & climate) but Germany still wins. As in: highest per capita emissions of the bunch.
OTHER (ENERGY) SECTORS (commercial/institutional, residential, agricultural/forestry/fishing. Highest emissions for Germany.
'OTHER OTHER' (ENERGY) SECTORS
Germany is middle of the pack
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AND PRODUCT USE
Germany has the highest emissions per capita.
AGRICULTURE
Germany is middle of the pack - France does much worse.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
That's where Germany does much better than other countries - half or less than half their emissions.
So to sum up:
- Germany has higher total emissions per capita than other major European countries
- in 4 sectors, it's got the highest emissions
- it's got the lowest emissions in just 1 sector (waste management)
So Germany be proud of your waste management (and other things you've done right) but don't let it go to your head.
The case for Germany being a "climate leader" *on the whole* is weak at best.
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To me the most striking thing in this chart is how much the Italian saving rate has *declined* over time: from nearly three times as much as the UK in 2000 to less than the UK today
And if you know the Italian social system, you know how much of it is based on household savings. Middle-class parents save their whole life to buy a dwelling for their children one day. Young people stay home & save for said dwelling rather than renting, etc.
Parents (and sometimes grandparents) use their savings to support children & grandchildren who find themselves unemployed - because no, many/most of them have no right to unemployment benefits or minimum guaranteed income.
In Germany as in the rest of Europe, we are reducing emissions in other sectors while not reducing them (and sometimes even increasing them) in the transport sector.
So each year transport accounts for a higher share of total emissions ⬇️
I think this means that the climate debate and the transport debate will progressively become *conflated*. Most of the climate debate will be about cars and planes.
Excuses such as "Let's pick some other low-hanging fruit!" or "Let's do nuclear instead!" won't cut it.
It gets worse: when asked whether they intend to implement measures to prevent such deaths from happening in the future, this is the police's reply. Note that the woman died *on a pedestrian crossing*
The leader of the Conservatives (first in the polls)
3) 05.11.23
A Liberal MP proposes to drastically reduce the rights to political participation, right of assembly / freedom of association for non-EU foreign residents