German Envoy Calls for Climate Neutrality by 2045

Addresses Special Interactive Session at Punjab University
By Farzana Chaudhry
Lahore, Pakistan
LAHORE: Ina Lepel has underscored Germany’s commitment to climate neutrality, youth welfare, global peace, prosperity, and enhanced academic collaboration with Pakistan.
She was addressing a special interactive session at Punjab University Institute of Administrative Sciences on Monday. Registrar Dr Ahmad Islam, Director External Linkages Prof Dr Yaamina Salman, Director Institute of Administrative Sciences Prof Dr Kashif Rathore, faculty members, students, and a large number of Punjab University alumni of German universities attended the session.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms Lepel said Germany was making vigorous efforts to improve the global environment and had adopted a clear national vision to achieve climate neutrality by 2045. She said her country was rapidly shifting towards renewable and reusable energy sources, while rising petroleum prices had accelerated the transition towards electric vehicles.
She stated that in the era of technological revolution, the world needed to explore the potential of artificial intelligence. Germany, she added, had recently focused extensively on green technology, renewable energy, and climate resilience.
The ambassador said Germany remained committed to peace, security, and prosperity in Europe. Referring to the situations in the Middle East, US-Iran tensions, and the Russia-Ukraine war, she observed that global peace had once again reached a fragile stage.
“We want countries across the world to improve relations with each other because dialogue is the only sustainable way forward,” she remarked.
She added that a sound economy and a strong defense system were both essential for national stability, while strong institutions were equally necessary to deal with contemporary global challenges.
The envoy said Germany was playing an active role in strengthening Europe’s strategic self-reliance and described the European Union as the world’s largest and most influential trade bloc. She also stressed the need to eliminate bureaucratic red tape for effective governance and social problem-solving.
Appreciating Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement at multilateral forums, Ms Lepel praised Pakistan’s role at the United Nations Security Council and disclosed that the German Chancellor had recently telephoned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss regional tensions, reflecting Berlin’s continued interest in peace and stability in South Asia.
Highlighting educational and economic ties, she said around 10,000 Pakistani students were currently studying in Germany, while Pakistan, being the world’s fifth most populous country, represented an important trade market for Germany.
She said the German Academic Exchange Service was providing scholarships to hundreds of Pakistani students every year and noted that many Pakistanis were keen to work and acquire technical skills in Germany’s small and medium industrial sector.
Germany’s academic institutions and scholarship bodies, she said, had steadily expanded outreach to Pakistani universities, including Punjab University, in recent years.
Responding to students’ questions on diplomacy, the ambassador said the core skills required in diplomacy were largely universal. She advised aspiring diplomats to cultivate listening skills, understand different cultures, remain eager to learn, stay calm under pressure, and avoid reacting emotionally to provocation or rhetoric.
“A good diplomat is one who understands before reacting,” she said.
Earlier, the German ambassador visited the Vice Chancellor’s office and met Muhammad Ali. Dr Ali said Punjab University was keen to promote joint research, faculty collaboration, and academic exchange programmes with German universities.
He stressed that international research partnerships were vital for innovation and knowledge sharing, adding that the university looked forward to strengthening engagement with German institutions.
He reiterated Punjab University’s commitment to building stronger institutional linkages with German academia for collaborative research and student mobility.