By Joseph Nasr
BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany on Wednesday introduced its “dream” international climate envoy – Greenpeace chief, American Jennifer Morgan, in a bold sign it is willing to spearhead more ambitious action to tackle the global climate crisis.
With the appointment of Morgan, a veteran climate campaigner as experienced at addressing political and business elites as she is at joining protesters in blockades, Germany joins a small group of countries with designated envoys to handle international climate change diplomacy.
“Bringing Jennifer Morgan on our German team is a dream and an important boost to international efforts to protect the climate,” said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, from the ecologist Greens party.
Both Greenpeace and Germany’s Greens have their origin in the anti-nuclear movement of the 70s and 80s.
“I feel honoured by the trust you put in me and I take on this important role with pleasure and determination. We are at a crossroads,” said Morgan, speaking in fluent German.
“The effects of the climate crisis are being felt everywhere – people and nature are suffering,” she added. “I want to bring my years-long experience in the climate movement as well as in think tanks into politics in order to support and implement Germany’s goals as well as those of the EU and internationally.”
Morgan, who takes on the role officially on March 1, said her first foreign trip will be to Brussels, followed by a visit to Paris.
“Germany has built itself a role-model image internationally with its decision to exit coal and nuclear and its intensive investments in renewable energy and hydrogen. The energy transition is Germany’s soft power. And we will pursue this actively,” said Morgan.
Her appointment coincides with Germany’s presidency of the Group of Seven rich countries this year and Europe attempting to roll out international climate policies including the world’s first carbon border tariff, imposing CO2 emissions costs on polluting goods imported into the EU.
Baerbock said Germany wanted to ensure developing countries joined efforts to become zero-emissions economies and Berlin would push for technology transfer from richer to poorer nations to lift millions of people out of poverty.
(Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
