Germany is world's greenest country: Report

Germany is world's greenest country: Report

London, PTI:

Germany has been named the world's greenest country in a global energy report, days after the government passed a new round of environmental laws in its effort to meet ambitious carbon dioxide reduction targets.

According to the report by British Petroleum, while global energy consumption, driven by China, America and India, rose by 2.4 per cent in 2007, Germany managed to slash its use by 5.6 per cent in the same year as compared to 2006.

"Issues such as energy security, energy trade and alternative energies (are) at the forefront of the political agenda worldwide.

"Continued weakness in oil supply and increasing demand highlight the challenges we all face in maintaining secure energy supplies," BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward was quoted by 'The Daily Telegraph' as saying.

But while the BP world energy report confirmed that Germany made one of the world's biggest cuts in nuclear energy last year, with use falling 16 per cent on 2006 levels, it also revealed that oil and gas use was slashed too.

Only coal consumption increased, as Germany's total energy use fell by 5.6 per cent, according to the report.

It may be mentioned that while passing new environmental laws recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel described them as "crucial for climate protection" and said they would help the country reduce its 1990 level of emissions by 40 per cent come 2020.

The laws, which target high polluting lorries and make energy saving designs compulsory for homes built after 2009, should allow Germany to shave 35 per cent off 1990 emissions.