Germany, US sign new climate and energy partnership

Germany and the United States have agreed on closer cooperation on energy and action on climate change, with representatives from both sides signing a declaration on a new climate and energy partnership in Berlin on Friday, reported dpa.

Such partnerships, which Germany also has with many other countries, are an important instrument for concretely advancing climate protection, German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck.

US-German expert working groups are to cooperate permanently in four areas: The focus is on the development of the offshore wind energy sector, the topic of hydrogen, transport without greenhouse gas emissions, and cooperation with developing and emerging countries.

The US climate envoy John Kerry praised Germany as a global pioneer of the energy transition. "It was a nation that began and took a chance on significant investment in renewable energy way before it was fashionable or even economic," Kerry said.

With their cooperation, both countries wanted to encourage other countries to also seize the opportunities of the energy transition.

The agreement builds on a cooperation that then-chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Joe Biden had already launched last summer.

Friday's declaration was signed on the sidelines of the G7 meeting of ministers for the environment, climate protection and energy in Berlin.

Germany currently chairs the group of states, which also includes France, Italy, Japan, Canada, the US and Britain.