US pollution partly to blame for Katrina: minister

30 August 2005

BERLIN – Germany’s environment minister hinted Tuesday that Americans were to blame for Hurricane Katrina due to the U.S. refusal to cut greenhouse gases which many experts say cause global warming.

“The increasing frequency of these natural events can only be explained through global warming which is caused by people,” said Trittin who is member of the Greens in a ZDF TV interview.

Trittin contrasted Germany’s cutting of greenhouse gas emissions by 18.5 per cent since 1990, with the U.S. from which emissions have continued to increase.

“A U.S. citizen causes about two and a half times as much greenhouse gas as the average European,” said Trittin.

Commenting on Trittin’s remarks, ZDF said the minister “saw a parallel between the hurricane and U.S. wasting of energy.”

The German government has been strongly critical of U.S. President George W. Bush’s refusal to ratify the Kyoto agreement on global warming.

At least 55 people were left dead when Hurricane Katrina swept over the southern coast of the United States on Monday.

DPA

Subject: German news