Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock emphasized the importance of the US state of Texas as a location for energy and climate technology companies. Around 150 German companies, particularly from the cleantech sector, are also involved on site, as are large industrial companies with a long tradition, said the Green politician yesterday evening (local time) in the Texas capital Austin.
There she met Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, who himself is on the right wing within his conservative party.
Multifaceted state
Baerbock called Texas a “state of extremes in a country of extremes.” Texas still has “one foot in the fossil fuel world of oil and gas”, but on the other hand is a world leader in wind power and solar energy.
The second largest US state in terms of area and population is experiencing incredible demographic change and insane social tensions. It was important to her, in the year before the US presidential election in 2024, to come to a state that was an example of progress and opportunities, but also of social risks.
The Ukraine war is also an issue
She had a long exchange with Abbott about continued support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia. But it was also about questions “where we have completely different opinions than Europeans” – and many people in America also have a different opinion than Abbott here. The Foreign Minister cited gun rights, women’s right to self-determination and the issue of an open and diverse society as examples.
Abbott has been in office since 2015 and is highly controversial because of his restrictive immigration policies, his support for rigid abortion laws and other controversial positions.
