Germany's Greens say end of "oil age" in sight
© 2000 Reuters Limited
September 7, 2000
BERLIN - Germany's Greens party said yesterday that soaring oil prices meant petroleum could soon be a thing of the past, and the environmentalists urged more support for renewable energy and energy efficiency programmes.
"The end of the age of oil is in sight," Greens science spokesman Hans-Josef Fell said in a statement. "Persistently high oil prices are the result of the start of the running out of oil in the world."
Oil prices climbed to yet another 10-year peak yesterday with international benchmark Brent crude futures at $33.56 a barrel as anxious dealers feared OPEC would fail to ease a supply shortage when its ministers meet on Sunday.
Fell said research showed that world oil production would peak in coming years and the only way to keep prices under control was to promote renewable energy and cut demand.
The Greens are junior coalition partners to the Germany's ruling Social Democrats and have managed to push the government to introduce an "eco-tax" on fuel that has come under fire in recent months as oil prices rocketed.
Erwin Teufel, conservative premier of the western state of Baden-Wuerttemburg, said yesterday he would introduce a motion to the Bundesrat upper house of parliament where the states are represented, calling for the tax to be scrapped.
"The obstinate behaviour of the government is an affront to citizens and business. The chancellor should take up the example of the socialist government in France," Teufel said.
"Current developments clearly show that the eco-tax was a fatal mistake," he said in a statement.
The French government agreed on Tuesday to a 15 percent cut in tax on diesel fuel for heavy lorries, but truck owners continued to block fuel supplies around the country in a protest against rising prices that has lasted three days.