"The German automotive industry stands firmly and with conviction behind the Paris climate goals. Our manufacturers and suppliers will invest around €320bn in research and development worldwide between 2025 and 2029 alone. This is in addition to approximately €220bn in capital investments, particularly in the construction and modernization of plants. We are driving the transformation forward with diverse, innovative solutions on the path to climate-neutral and digital mobility of the future, thereby also playing a leading global role in the circular economy. In doing so, we always keep the entire life cycle of our products in mind – from raw materials and manufacturing to recycling.

The European Union aims to set extremely ambitious interim targets for 2035 and 2040 on its path to climate neutrality. At COP30 in Belém, it will be crucial to convince other major economic regions to adopt similarly ambitious goals and commitments. If Europe forges ahead alone, without other major markets following suit, not only an imbalance will arise—there will be also the risk of concrete competitive disadvantages, a risk of investment migration, and a loss of industrial value creation within Europe. A global level playing field for climate protection is therefore essential—only comparable framework conditions can ensure fair competitive opportunities and thus enable success in achieving the shared goal of climate neutrality.

The transformation to climate neutrality can only succeed in partnership with industry. We are committed to ensuring that climate and environmental policy is not only ecologically but also economically sustainable, acting as a driver of prosperity and jobs – and designed in a socially just and fair manner. However, our innovations and investments can only achieve maximum impact if they also secure economic strength, if the setting is a conducive one, and if climate protection will be developed not against, but with, industry and the people of our country.

Particularly relevant in light of current developments: Protectionism is counterproductive and jeopardizes global climate protection efforts. Rather, it is essential to strengthen international cooperation and address the specific challenges of different regions of the world. Isolationism and new trade barriers drive up costs, fragment markets, and stifle innovation—ultimately harming the climate. For us, one thing is clear: Climate protection can only succeed through global cooperation, not through conflicting between economic powers.
COP30 in Belém must therefore send a clear signal: Ambition in climate protection and strengthening industry go hand in hand. We need international agreements that facilitate investment in climate-neutral technologies worldwide, ensure open and fair markets, and deepen cooperation on raw materials, infrastructure, research, and standards. Only if these industrial policy decisions are made correctly, a climate-neutral mobility can become a globally competitive business model."