Chrysler Chief Economist says European attitude to climate change is 'hysterical'
Thu 11 January 2007
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The Chief Economist of the German-US Daimler Chrysler group, Van Jolissaint, described Europeans as having a "hysterical" and "Chicken Little*" attitude to climate change. He made his remarks at a meeting held at the Detroit Motor Show and which has been reported by the media.
Mr Jolissaint was speaking at a breakfast meeting with an invited audience where the chief economists of the three largest US car firms - Ford, GM and Daimler Chrysler - were presenting their sales forecasts.
He was recently appointed the chief economist for DaimlerChrysler Group which resulted in him spending more time in Europe.
Mr Jolissaint was critical of the recent Stern Report and, in response to a question from the audience, said that climate change was a far-off risk whose magnitude was uncertain.
Mr Jolissaint's views reflect the fact that there remains a wide gap between European and US attitudes on climate change and the resulting implications for vehicle producers and policy makers.
(*Note: Chicken Little is a character in the 2005 film who is considered to be crazy because he fears the sky is falling in after he is struck by a small piece of a falling UFO.)
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