Commentary on Scholz: climate chancellor – or bully?

Even before the Ukraine war, Germany was doing too little to protect the climate. The new world situation could prolong dependence on fossil fuels – despite all the Chancellor’s assurances.

I hear the words well, but I lack the belief in Olaf Scholz: He says many beautiful sentences about climate protection, also at this Petersberg climate dialogue. Do not create new dependencies on fossil fuels. Climate protection “now more than ever”. Only, there’s a problem with trading.

Ukraine war as a death knell for climate protection?

The fossil temptation is great. Also for Germany. After the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the federal government wants to get away from Russian energy supplies as quickly as possible so that it is no longer open to blackmail. That’s good and right. Starting up old coal-fired power plants again to save gas is bitter, but – for a short time – justifiable.

But the great danger is that the war and its consequences will deal the deathblow to global climate protection. Even before the war, things were not looking good for the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. “Sorry, another crisis was more urgent” – but there is no time for such excuses. Extreme heat, extreme drought – the climate crisis is already in full swing in Europe.

Same drug, different dealer

The character of the German government is revealed in a crisis. We get less from Russia? Let’s look elsewhere for more. Same drug, different dealer. The problem: In the search for new suppliers, Germany is in danger of remaining dependent on the climate killer natural gas in the long term.

Scholz wants to help Senegal to develop new natural gas fields. A German supplier recently proudly announced a liquid gas deal with the USA. Term 20 years. By 2046. Long-term dependency? That’s what she looks like.

FDP plans: insane and antisocial

The FDP is the best place to see how fossil addiction works. Your climate protection concept is actually the most radical: make CO2 emissions expensive, define a limit – no more may be emitted – and then the market should regulate where savings have to be made first. Sounds good. But they were just words.

As soon as the price of petrol rose above the apparently sacred mark of two euros, the FDP came and enforced a tank discount for everyone, which was not only antisocial but also provided the wrong incentive to drive more petrol cars. What madness!

Act instead of just babble

And the chancellor? Carry that with you. Germany is not a role model. If climate protection could become politically precarious for Scholz, he ducks away. When he was asked if he could name a few measures to save energy, Scholz only said: Nope. And instead lets Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck bring the unpleasant messages to the people.

Scholz also gives no impetus when it comes to aid money for countries in the Global South. He’s just repeating the larifari promises made by the last Merkel government. Internationally, Scholz wasted his time with a prestige project. He definitely wants to set up a “climate club” for countries that want to lead the way in climate protection. What is known so far looks hard for a new round of chatter. But it’s too late to babble. Action makes you a climate chancellor. Otherwise it’s enough to be a bully at most.