The world’s most important industrial trade fair with more than 3,000 exhibitors has started in Hanover. This year’s partner country of the Hannover Messe is Brazil, so it was opened by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz together with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Sunday evening. The key topics this year are AI and robotics, which offer great opportunities for industry and society, but also the armaments sector. The trade fair is open to trade visitors and interested parties until April 24th.
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Brazilian President Lula at the opening of the Hannover Messe: A plea for renewable energies.
(Image: Martin Fischer / heise medien)
At the opening event at the Hannover Congress Center, Brazilian President Lula da Silva highlighted the importance of renewable energy for sustainable economic growth: “Brazil can help the European Union reduce energy costs and decarbonize its industry.”
Brazil has an enormous share of renewable energies in the electricity mix, namely around 90 percent. However, compared to Germany, Brazil also has geographical conditions that favor this. The huge country is characterized by large streams fed by the Amazon rainforest, whose hydroelectric power plants make up a large part of the electricity generation.
Hydropower has been criticized in Brazil for decades – large dams, for example, have negative effects on ecosystems and indigenous communities. However, the Brazilian president did not mention this in his speech. There were a few demonstrators in front of the venue who pointed out the rights of indigenous peoples.
The dammed Rio São Francisco river in the Brazilian northeast; Alagoas/Sergipe border region. Hydropower also exacts an ecological price in Brazil.
(Image: Martin Fischer)
In his speech to industry representatives, Chancellor Merz addressed the current energy crisis, which is based on the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz. Merz announced that he would convene the National Security Council “in a timely manner” to discuss the energy crisis. “The German economy and citizens must be able to rely on the fact that the supply of key products such as diesel, gasoline and aviation fuel remains secure,” said Merz. However, the Chancellor did not outline any specific measures in his speech. He simply referred to “all available instruments” that could be used if necessary.
Merz emphasized the importance of Brazil for Germany, as well as the importance of the Mercosur agreement. Germany and Brazil want to work more closely together in trade, armaments, digitalization and research.
Chancellor Merz tried to exude confidence.
(Image: Martin Fischer / heise medien)
Meanwhile, German industry is hoping for noticeable reforms. The President of the Electrical and Digital Industry Gunther Kegel called on politicians to act and called for effective reforms and less bureaucracy. Accenture boss Julie Sweet, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of self-innovation to the assembled industry bosses: “I would ask you to ask yourself the following question. A question that I often ask myself and always put on the agenda in the management team. Ask yourself what you have done in your company or in your administration today that is completely different from what you did 12 months ago.”
(mfi)
