In an interview with journalist Laura Czypull (in German), Lena Partzsch categorized various forms of environmental regulation. She emphasized the importance of state regulation for companies and explained that the statement of environmental regulation harming the economy per se is empirically untenable. The fact that companies have a competitive advantage if they move abroad is no longer true due to the global increase in environmental regulation. According to Partzsch, state environmental regulation can help create a level playing field for all companies. At the moment, companies that undermine environmental and human rights standards are all too often at a competitative advantage. The consistent implementation of laws is crucial. Partzsch is critical of self-regulation by companies and so-called ‘green marketing’: Ambitious standards show that things can be done differently. However, companies that discover sustainability as a unique selling point for themselves are often not interested in legal requirements for the masses. It is time for ‘green’ companies to give up their niche position and for ambitious rules to be established and applied for everyone.

The article was published by watson on 15.11.2023.