On the environmental front there's concern about global warming and high levels of carbon dioxide, and trees take in CO2 and store carbon.

But, as environment minister, I am very interested in a thriving German automobile industry, because I can only pay for the rising costs of environmental protection at home and abroad if there are people in Germany with jobs and who pay taxes.

Global markets must be balanced by global values such as respect for human rights and international law, democracy, security and sustainable economic and environmental development.

So to hope to be able to have peace, to be able to have justice and environmental balance, are consequences of our behavior, not just our intentions.

I wanted to help raise awareness, so I created an environmental foundation called Just Within Reach.