Expansion of renewable energies: Schulze accuses Altmaier of incompetence


Expansion of renewable energies
Schulze accuses Altmaier of incompetence

Before the new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report was presented at the beginning of the week, Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze criticized Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier unusually harshly for his handling of the expansion of renewable energies. CDU chancellor candidate Armin Laschet does not come off well either.

Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze of the SPD has accused the CDU Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier and several federal states of delaying the expansion of renewable energies. “We as the federal government have set a clear expansion path that the states must follow. And the SPD-led states have followed this in an exemplary manner,” said Schulze of the “Rheinische Post”. However, only a few weeks ago, when it was too late for concrete action in this electoral term, Altmaier recognized a significantly higher demand for green electricity in the coming years.

“This behavior is incomprehensible and highly incompetent. As a result of his policy of delaying, states like Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia were able to delay the necessary expansion of renewable energies even further. Even the Green Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann has not yet triggered a wind energy boom in Baden-Württemberg “said Schulze.

Schulze rejected the statement that NRW was at the forefront in terms of expansion as “window dressing” because NRW came “from a very low level”. “And at the same time, Prime Minister Armin Laschet, who would like to become Federal Chancellor, has now implemented a distance regulation to ensure that hardly any new wind turbines can be built. I am really wondering whether he has not understood the problem we are facing Steering climate change and the consequences of which we can already see in the flood areas, “said Schulze. “In addition, his policy threatens a de-industrialization of NRW, because he does not help to ensure a secure and affordable energy supply,” said the SPD politician.

Humanity must live in a climate-neutral way by 2050

Before presenting the new IPCC report, Schulze called for more efforts to protect the climate. “The report clearly states: There is no longer any doubt about man-made climate change. The evidence is overwhelming,” Schulze said of the “Rheinische Post”. “The report also makes it unmistakably clear that we have to be prepared for more and more extreme weather events in Germany as well. They are no longer going away, because we cannot reverse the climate change that has already occurred. We can, however, slow down global warming.”

The efforts to date in the fight against climate change are still far from being sufficient. It is no longer enough for large industrialized countries to lead the way. At the next climate conference in Glasgow in November, it will be important to get many countries on board. “Humankind must live in a climate-neutral way by 2050 at the latest,” said Schulze. In a new federal government, blockades would have to come to an end, said Schulze. “This also applies to the international level.” Here the re-entry of the USA into the Paris Agreement created a new dynamic.

A climate protection ministry rejects them. Rather, the energy sector, for example, must be incorporated into the Ministry of the Environment. Climate protection must also be made a top priority in the Chancellery. Germany has to adapt more consistently to climate change. “This also applies currently and specifically to the areas in which new bridges have to be built and new rails have to be laid,” said the minister. The federal government must be better involved in the implementation.

.