国际英语新闻:Germans urged to consume less to protect climate

BERLIN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- President of the German federal parliament, Wolfgang Schaeuble, urged Germans on Tuesday to cut back on their consumption for climate protection.

In an interview with the German newspaper Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung, Schaeuble said "Climate protection is not for free," and warned against promoting recent climate reforms to citizens as a "social benefit".

Last week, Germany's upper house of parliament finally approved a package of climate laws seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The major reform includes several measures such as higher prices for heating and fuel through taxing carbon emissions, fewer taxes on long-distance train journeys and financial incentives to better insulate buildings.

"We will have to change our lives," said the president, noting that some privileges like flying to the Maldives or visiting Venice should be "used more sparingly in the future."

Schaeuble was optimistic that the transition to a more environmentally responsible life could be achieved. "We have overcome much greater challenges in history," he said.