The German cabinet on Wednesday agreed a package of measures designed to fight climate change that it said was one of the most ambitious initiatives of its kind undertaken anywhere in the world. "No other country in the world can go to the Bali climate conference with such an ambitious and concrete programme," Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said. "Germany wants to show that a developed country can reconcile economic growth with protection of the environment." One of the key measures will see renewable energy contribute between 25 and 30 percent of the country's energy needs compared to the current level of 12 percent. Power stations will be adapted to become less polluting by using more modern technology and the government wants to increase the efficiency of heating in buildings by offering annual subsidies of up to 500 million euros (733 million dollars) from 2009. The subsidies are aimed at helping owners install environmentally friendly heating systems. About 2.6 billion euros of the 2008 budget has been earmarked for climate protection, a 200-percent rise compared with the 2005 budget.

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