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An intense debate has begun in Germany on the kind of lifestyle changes needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, days before European Union leaders hold a summit on energy and climate change. |
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Avid travellers
Ever since the postwar boom of the Wirtschaftswunder, Germans have been avid travellers.
The Mediterranean came first as the trendy holiday destination. East Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Far East soon followed.
Trinket shops in every corner of the world - at least every sunny corner - have for decades posted the sign: "Man spricht Deutsch" (German spoken here) in their windows in the hope of earning solid D-marks or euros.
But now "Sylt not the Seychelles," is the holidaying slogan, in reference to the idyllic island just off the Baltic coast where Germany's beautiful people have long spent weekends.
No longer chic
The tourist industry is ready to take the change in its stride, well aware that margins on the long-haul flights are now minimal, compared with what can be earned from upmarket destinations closer to home.
"In many circles it will no longer be chic in a couple of years to pollute the environment with tons of carbon dioxide while on holiday," says Martin Buck, director of Berlin's International Tourist Bourse, which opens next week.
Buck predicts that companies offering the traditional package tour are about to face serious problems.
The figures are convincing. According to Andreas Troge, President of Germany's Federal Environment Agency, a return flight to Thailand "costs" six tons of carbon dioxide emissions, while a return train journey from Berlin to the Baltic weighs in at just 35 kilogrammes.
Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel is demanding that airlines offer customers the option of paying a supplement to fund projects to compensate for the emissions from the flight.
National flag carrier Lufthansa has said it is looking for a business partner to launch a scheme of this kind.
Market absurdities
As many commentators have pointed out, the cheap flights era has led to market absurdities. The taxi ride to the airport in most European cities now costs considerably more than the flight to Mallorca, Rimini, Corfu or Adana.
Greenpeace Germany's head, Brigitte Behrens, voiced the opinion of many when she told the Sunday edition of Berlin's Tagesspiegel: "Cheap flights should be banned."
That call is likely to fall on deaf ears when the EU leaders gather in Brussels on Thursday.
But as a survey published this week showed, the German public is way ahead of its political leaders when it comes to the lifestyle changes needed to counter environmental damage.
Links: www.ecotourism.org
March 7, 2007
Copyright DPA with Expatica 2007
Subject: German, Germany, travel, environment, climate change
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