Top politicians from Germany and more than 60 large companies have warned that the climate crisis must continue to be a top priority, even as the world economies grapple with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Ahead of this week’s digital Petersberg Climate Dialogue, environment minister Svenja Schulze said the Paris Agreement should remain the “compass” for the economic recovery after the current crisis...

Merkel said the coronavirus crisis would certainly leave its mark on the German EU Council presidency in the second half of 2020. “That means we have to do something to strengthen Europe’s economy, social cohesion and think about the future – and that means climate and environmental questions,” said Merkel. “We will have the climate issues on our agenda just like we will have the health issues.” ...

[A]n alliance of more than 60 large German and international companies – including ThyssenKrupp, Bayer and Vattenfall – called on governments to introduce climate-friendly, long-term economic stimulus programmes. In a joint statement organised by business initiative Foundation 2° (Stiftung 2°), the companies call on the German government to closely link measures to overcome the coronavirus crisis and the climate crisis, stick to existing climate policy to not endanger investments and projects already made, and push the European Green Deal as an innovation and growth strategy...