German Chancellor Angela Merkel requests the aviation industry to invest more in climate compatible technologies. (picture alliance/dpa)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday called on the German aviation industry to make the country a leading force in climate compatible technologies for flight.
Speaking during a visit to the first national aviation conference in the eastern city of Leipzig, Merkel said that criticism of the aviation industry was increasing.
That "means it is ever more important that the industry show that growth is not always connected to growth in damaging emissions," she said.
Merkel said the industry had already made an important step in declaring its commitment to decreasing CO2 emissions, for instance by calling for investment and development of new, climate-friendly fuels.
The aviation conference in Leipzig brings together players from across the aviation industry to discuss how the industry can help curb climate change.
A number of environmental organizations have called for a significant reduction in flights, as it is considered the most detrimental transport method for the climate.
But Merkel also underlined the importance of the industry for the national economy, as more than a quarter of Germany's exports left the country via air cargo. In Germany, 850,000 people directly or indirectly work in the aviation industry.
"We don't want forced limitations to our mobility," Merkel said.
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