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Did oil corporations mislead with environmental initiatives? - Inquiries

The oil sector depends on Chinese initiatives to uphold climate change regulations, but there are growing suspicions that some of these efforts may be fraudulent.

,   and  Viktoriya Miller
3 min read
Blick auf den Eingang zum Umweltbundesamt in Dessau-Roßlau.
Blick auf den Eingang zum Umweltbundesamt in Dessau-Roßlau.

Germany's Federal Environment Agency Issues Warning on Air Quality - Did oil corporations mislead with environmental initiatives? - Inquiries

The German Environmental Agency (UBA) is currently probing into claims of dishonesty within initiatives aimed at alleviating greenhouse gas emissions in league with oil giants. Informants have come forward with suspicions of fraudulent activities occurring in projects, with some occurring in China, for which the UBA is presently mapping a response, as explained by a spokesperson for the organization. Although the agency has yet to uncover definitive proof, they remain steadfast in their pursuit to resolve the matter. As such, a criminal report was submitted to the Berlin Attorney General on Monday (27th May).

In response to the accusations, the Fuels and Energy Industry Association maintained the paramount importance of respecting and upholding regulatory practices. This seemed to be undermined in the present situation.

An inquiry by ZDF initially uncovered the purported deceit, with UBA President Dirk Messner -- in an interview with ZDF's "Frontal" -- acknowledging the possibility of "a handful of applications that have been forged". As a consequence of their investigation, the UBA identified one project that was ultimately cancelled for formal defects. This project commenced prematurely, in violation of the UBA's regulations. The ZDF report is anticipated for broadcast on Tuesday (28th May) at 9 p.m.

The health of the climate balance of road transportation could be even further compromised than initially calculated.

The oil industry employs environmental projects to downsize gas emissions and align with legal environmental mandates. Such projects are certified by German testing institutions and verified by the UBA. If these projects have been forged, Germany's transportation sector's climate balance could potentially be considerably worse than anticipated.

The UBA sought the assistance of Chinese authorities last week. "We must do this because we wield no influence in China," stated the agency's spokesperson. The criminal case filed at the Berlin Attorney General's Office was in relation to all possible infractions linked to the in China-based projects.

The prosecutor's office initially declined to confirm the receipt of the complaint. This does not definitively mean that the complaint was not submitted, according to a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office, offering that it often takes several days for cases to be assigned and acquired a case number.

In comparison to the UBA, the prosecutor's office has "various distinct capabilities to investigate", explained the UBA representative. This encompasses the ability to request documents or question witnesses "that may lead us to leverage more compelling evidence."

Read also:

  1. The Federal Environment Agency in Germany is examining allegations of deceit in environmental initiatives collaborated with oil corporations, with suspicions of fraudulent activities reported in China.
  2. ZDF's investigation revealed potential misconduct, leading UBA President Dirk Messner to acknowledge the possibility of forged applications.
  3. A whistleblower contributed to the inquiry, and as a result, one project was canceled due to formal inconsistencies, commenced prematurely against UBA regulations.
  4. The German Press Agency reported that the Chinese authorities were contacted by the UBA to investigate the matter, as Germany lacks jurisdiction over projects based in China.
  5. The Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office has received a criminal report from the UBA concerning all potential infractions related to the China-based projects.
  6. While the UBA primarily focuses on regulation and certification, the prosecutor's office holds distinct investigatory capabilities, such as document requests and witness interrogations.
  7. Mineral oil companies in Germany have carbon footprints, and environmental projects assist in reducing gas emissions and adhering to legal environmental standards.
  8. If environmental initiatives have been falsified, Germany's transportation sector's climate balance could be significantly worse than predicted, making it crucial for the UBA and the prosecutor's office to establish the truth.

Source: www.stern.de

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