President Steinmeier: “Without people like Edenhofer, the Paris Agreement and the German climate deal would not have been possible.”

During the Corona crisis, “other major tasks of mankind” should not be lost sight of, said Steinmeier with regard to the climate crisis. “We have to think, we have to rethink, sometimes even radically rethink: how we work, what we produce, how we do business, how we move around and what we eat.” He said that the climate crisis would be a major challenge. This will “demand a lot from everyone,” said Steinmeier. “But we shouldn't have to worry if some things change. We must be concerned if nothing changes!”

Edenhofer received the prize in particular for his research into the pricing of CO2 emissions. He succeeded “in offering solutions against climate change that also address issues of social justice through an economic approach,” said Alexander Bonde, Secretary General of the DBU. In addition to Edenhofer, two entrepreneurs were also honored, the Trappmann siblings, who, as the bosses of a tinware factory, are pioneers in the sustainable use of energy and resources.