Merkel said, anticipating the climate conference in Copenhagen next month: ‘We cannot afford failure with regard to achieving the climate protection objectives scientists tell us are crucial. That would also be technologically short-sighted, for the development of new technologies in the energy sector offer major opportunities for growth and jobs in the future.’
She was raised in Brandenburg, East Germany, and recalled her experiences: ‘The wall, barbed wire and the order to shoot those who tried to leave limited my access to the free world.’ The chancellor reflected on the historic event on the day when the border crossings opened: ‘Where there was once only a dark wall, a door suddenly opened and we all walked through it, onto the streets, into the churches, across the borders. Everyone was given the chance to build something new, to make a difference, to venture a new beginning.’
