The Week in Germany
Dear TWIG Readers,
Germany is a land of ideas - and a land of research. It is the No. 1 location for research in Europe with a long scientific tradition.
"German inventions and discoveries – such as the automobile, the theory of relativity, and the MP3 format – have changed the world. Research-intensive products and services contribute 45 percent to the creation of value in Germany, more than in any other industrialized country," Germany.info's science section proudly proclaims.
"As one of the world's leading exporters, Germany clearly understands that science and technology lay the foundation for its future position on the world markets. They are the key to competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.
"In a bold move, with all other budgets curtailed under a policy of austerity, the German Government is increasing its spending on education and research by a total of 12 billion euros between 2010 and 2013. For in these days of economic crisis, investing in science and technology is the smartest move we can make."
At the same time, Germany's Education and Research Ministry (BMBF) will focus during "The Year of Science 2012" on sustainable development.
In a bid to boost public awareness of sustainability research under the motto "Future Project Earth" (Zukunftsprojekt ERDE), the BMBF will showcase current scientific progress in this area - in fields ranging from environmental and energy research to economics and the humanities.
Funding - and applauding - research that promises to foster a healthy planet for future generations is more than just a good idea - it is literally critical to the survival of the human race.
This is the type of federal funding which, if efficiently and effectively allocated, should not be tampered with - we owe this much at least to future generations for the mess we've made of the world so far.
As many experts agree, all that is needed - given that technologies do already exist to combat climate change and implement a more sustainable form of development - is the political will to do so.
And therein lies the crux of the matter, the gordian knot created by seemingly endless cross-cutting special interests, that must be untied sooner rather than later, no matter how painstaking the process of putting what many leading energy and policy experts have heralded as a "Third Industrial Revolution" into place.
The German Government has demonstrated this time and again in recent years, as underscored by myriad international media reports on the subject, most notably perhaps via its famous feed-in tariff (FIT) that has considerably boosted the share of renewables in Germany's power grid.
And taking a sustainable path need not necessarily be a fiscally treacherous or politically suicidal one, given that many jobs can be created in the process, as German industry has clearly demonstrated.
The upshot: Not all federal regulations are necessarily bad regulations - some can help foster new industries, spur job growth and fuel exports. Germany's economy, bolstered by targeted federal and regional regulations that foster a climate of innovation and support the training (or re-training) of a skilled workforce, illustrates how unemployment rates can be kept consistently low through sustainble economic - and, in turn, environmental - policies. A few initial investments up front can reap great rewards a little further down the production line, as illustrated, for instance, by Germany's thriving solar power sector.
Both people and the politicians they elect, however, need to be behind this kind of process to get it out of the starting blocks and really make it work. And so it is in Germany, which has been blazing its own sustainable trail for decades thanks to an electorate that, by and large, has supported such key policy decisions every step of the way.
So investing in education and research, despite today's tough economic climate, is really a winning formula for the future, one that creates jobs while at the same time safeguarding human health and the environment.
Karen Carstens
Editor, The Week in Germany
Webteam Germany.info
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