Less acceptance of measures: bad times for the climate?

The consequences of climate change are also being felt in Germany. However, acceptance of ambitious climate protection policies has fallen noticeably. Why is that?

Some talk about climate change, some about climate crisis, some about climate catastrophe. But no matter what you call it, global warming caused by greenhouse gases has slipped somewhat lower on the general scale of concern.

This is not only shown by current opinion polls, this is also the impression of Greenpeace managing director Martin Kaiser. “After Corona and now with the wars in Ukraine and Israel, crisis fatigue can be felt in society,” says Kaiser. This leads to a defensive attitude towards further crises.

“Is it easy? No.”

The poor economic situation and the rise in prices over the past two years are also weighing on the mood. The federal government set out to make climate protection a core issue in traffic light policy. The Greens appointed former Greenpeace International managing director Jennifer Morgan as special representative for international climate policy in the Foreign Office.

From Morgan’s point of view, Germany is in the middle of the energy transition and that leads to an increased need for discussion. “Is it easy? No. Is it necessary? Yes. Does it bring opportunities: Absolutely.”

Reconstruction costs time and money

The federal government is extolling the advantages of the green energy future. Chancellor Olaf Scholz likes to emphasize that the transformation will ensure high growth rates. According to the motto: Sun and wind don’t count. But first of all, converting the energy supply costs a lot of money and takes time.

When Russia turned off the gas tap to Germany in the wake of the war of aggression in Ukraine, even Economics Minister Robert Habeck from the Green Party rushed to replace fossil fuels because liquid gas and coal could be obtained more quickly than green energy. Despite all the ambitions, the renovation is a project that will not be completed until the 2030s. At the same time, the federal government is pushing for industry to also be converted to sustainability. For example the car and steel industries.

political scientist Jun: There is a lot of skepticism

According to political scientist Uwe Jun from the University of Trier, many people have reservations about this transformation. Especially since government funding may have shrunk by 60 billion euros since the failed debt reallocation. “This confirms the fears of many that the German economy cannot cope with high energy prices, that change and transformation are happening too quickly and that Germany will ultimately be left behind,” says Jun. “In any case, there is a lot of skepticism among the population It’s great that Germany is taking over here.”

According to the political scientist, the heated debates over the heating law are also an example of the fact that many citizens are worried that they will not be able to pay for ambitious climate protection.

Criticism of traffic light performance

Greenpeace Germany boss Martin Kaiser even speaks of a disastrous performance by the traffic light coalition when it comes to climate protection: a lack of unity and poor management.

“The heating law is a good example. If a law is not presented at the same time as the funding programs to support people in important investment decisions, it is of course easily the plaything of the tabloid press or the opposition,” says Kaiser. Climate protection should not be conveyed in this way.

Role of the “Last Generation”

Political scientist Jun also blames parts of the climate movement for the fact that acceptance of ambitious climate protection has suffered. Fridays for Future was still trying to strengthen the social consensus for more climate protection, which was not evident in the “Last Generation”.

“The radical nature of their actions is met with broad rejection by the population. And that has then encouraged opponents to question the usefulness of climate protection measures,” said Jun. The “Last Generation” has not done the climate movement any great favors .

Global warming is progressing. But climate protection is polarizing more than ever. The federal government is faced with the challenge of creating a climate policy that most people can support.