But walk the walk? And give up one of my many annual vacations, say?
Thanks, but we’ll just stick to the talking, if you don’t mind.
This, folks, is “saving the planet” rhetoric in a nutshell.
Germans Want Climate Policy – Just Not in Their Homes. A new law about home heating reveals political constraints on the energy transition.
Polls show that Germans are earnestly worried about the climate crisis and in favor of more climate action. The fallout of global warming is one of their most pressing concerns, indeed as it is across Europe. And yet, when it comes to modifying their lifestyles or paying higher prices to curb emissions, most say they’re not willing, or only as much as it doesn’t sting.
Literally, “Job of the Bible’s message.” Bad news, in other words. Evil tidings.
HIOBSBOTSCHAFT FOR GERMAN ECONOMY: Industrial Production Surprisingly Down Sharply.
Germany’s Industrial Plunge Revives Winter Recession Fears – German industrial production sank by the most in a year — raising the risk that Europe’s largest economy slipped into a winter recession.
Output dropped 3.4% in March, more than the 1.5% decline economists had predicted in a Bloomberg survey. The decrease was especially pronounced in the automotive sector, according to the statistics office.
The good news? Germans still have schlechte Laune (they’re still in a bad mood).
The bad news? They’re not in as bad a mood as they ought to be.
German consumer morale slows down on path to recovery – German consumer sentiment is set to nudge up in April as energy prices have relented somewhat from record highs, though a full recovery is not in sight anytime soon, showed a GfK institute survey on Wednesday.
The institute forecast its consumer sentiment index to improve to -29.5 heading into April from a revised reading of -30.6 in March, slightly below the expectations of analysts polled by Reuters of -29.0.
A German politician’s unfortunate slip twenty years ago, “children instead of Indians,” certainly didn’t work.
Demographics can be a bitch.
Germany aims to ease visa process for India’s IT workers – Berlin wants to encourage information technology experts from India to come and work in Germany. The plan would be to make it easier for them to come to the country with their families.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that his government wants to ease the path for information technology experts from India to obtain work visas in Germany.
While Germany faces a shortfall in skilled worker numbers, India cannot always provide jobs for its large, young population.
The avalanche Angela Merkel set off back in 2015 is finally starting to pay off!
Shortage of engineers, scientists threatens German industry – Germany’s homegrown population is declining, and with it the number of science and engineering students.
German engineering is known worldwide for its quality and innovation. But that brand is under threat. The number of students beginning university degrees in STEM fields — shorthand for science, technology, engineering, and math — fell 6% in just one year, according to a recent study from the nation’s federal statistics agency.
German economy unexpectedly shrinks in Q4, reviving spectre of recession – The German economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter, data showed on Monday, a sign that Europe’s largest economy may be entering a much-predicted recession, though likely a shallower one than originally feared.
Gross domestic product decreased 0.2% quarter on quarter in adjusted terms, the federal statistics office said. A Reuters poll of analysts had forecast the economy would stagnate.
Deutschland schmiert wirtschaftlich ab – Germany is sliding down the economic slope.
Economically, Germany can no longer keep up with the USA, Scandinavia and Western Europe.
According to a study by the “Stiftung Familienunternehmen” (Family Business Foundation), Germany is slipping dramatically in terms of competitiveness: among 21 industrialized nations, Germany now ranks only 18th!
Germany’s real estate market took a deep hit in the fourth quarter as investors shied away from deals on the back of soaring financing costs.
Total investments in the country’s commercial property sector only reached €9.9 billion ($10.6 billion) in the last three months of 2022, a decline of 50% compared with the five-year average for the period, according to a report released by BNP Paribas’ real estate unit on Monday. The development is largely due to soaring interest rates, a weakening economy and record inflation, it said.
Because once things start looking better, they can only get worse.
German businesses expect only mild recession as disruptions ease – German companies expect only a mild recession next year despite headwinds from the energy crisis, raw material shortages and a tepid global economy, a survey of major associations published by Reuters on Tuesday showed.
There have been growing signs that the German economy could stave off the worst of an economic downturn triggered by a plunge in energy supply from Russia after the Ukraine invasion.
Inflation to 11.3% in November from a high of 11.6% the month prior as energy prices eased. The German government has predicted the economy will grow by 1.4% this year and next year.
Probably not. But still. It’s starting to roll around a little in its sleep.
German economy ministry favours blocking Chinese takeover of Elmos’ chip production – Germany’s economy ministry has recommended to the cabinet that the government block the Chinese takeover of Elmos’ (ELGG.DE) chip factory, saying it would pose a threat to national security, ministry sources said on Tuesday.
Observing Hermann 