Member of the German Bundestag, Bettina Hagedorn, has been appointed as the new Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry. The politician from Schleswig-Holstein succeeds Carsten Träger, who died suddenly in March 2026.
Member of the German Bundestag, Bettina Hagedorn, has been appointed as the new Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry. Hailing from Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, she completes the executive level team comprising Minister Carsten Schneider, Parliamentary State Secretary Rita Schwarzelühr‑Sutter and State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth. She succeeds Carsten Träger, who died suddenly in March 2026.
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider commented: "Bettina Hagedorn is a highly experienced, competent and passionate politician. She has successfully shaped the budgetary policy of our country for over two decades. She also brings to the table her many years of experience in local politics, as this is where climate action and environmental protection are implemented in practice. Bettina and I share a love of nature. I particularly like that she is from the Baltic Sea. Marine conservation and protection is a matter close to both of our hearts. We will work together to protect and conserve this valuable nature area."
Parliamentary State Secretary Bettina Hagedorn commented: "It is a great honour for me to join Minister Schneider’s team at the environment ministry. Environmental protection, nature conservation and the fight against climate change have played a prominent role in my political life for decades. Being from northern Germany and having always lived on the North and Baltic Seas, I am happy to be able take on special responsibility for marine conservation and protection, among other topics. I have five grandchildren, so my commitment to nature conservation, species protection and combatting climate change has never been abstract. It is very specifically about preserving a future worth living, especially for the younger generation."
Born in 1955 in Kiel, Bettina Hagedorn has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2002. Since 2002, she was a member of the Bundestag’s internal budget and auditing committees. From 2018 to 2021, she supported Federal Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz as Parliamentary State Secretary for budget matters and Europe.
Her predecessor Carsten Träger died in March 2026. Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider stated: "Carsten Träger was a highly valued colleague, who was passionate about protecting the environment and conserving nature. The pain of his passing is still deeply felt. He will be remembered as someone who put his heart and soul into politics and always looked to the future with pragmatism and confidence."