The stronger the renewable energies, the weaker the AfD
Three reports from the last few days give hope for the climate and fear for the AfD.
Firstly: The “last generation” is changing its tactics
The realisation: You can’t stick to your guns forever. There has recently been a lack of support and approval for the controversial sticker campaigns. It speaks for the young people of the “last generation” that they are organising their own transformation in order to win over more people for climate protection.
Secondly: Trump in the USA, Wilders in the Netherlands and the AfD in Germany
The far right and neo-Nazis also deny man-made climate change. They consider climate protection measures to be worse and more expensive than the climate crisis. However, at least in Germany and now also in Austria, climate change deniers are facing millions of people on the streets. For weeks, more and more people have been demonstrating against the AfD, which is confident of victory. Support for the neo-Nazis in opinion polls is falling for the first time in a long time. This also makes it clear that xenophobia, bigotry, anti-Semitism and climate change denial all belong together for the AfD.
In the latest ZDF political barometer, the AfD lost three percentage points, but is still the second strongest party. We must continue to demonstrate against hatred and contempt for humanity and make it clear that these parties deny man-made climate change and defame the entire field of climate science. 72% of respondents stated that the AfD is a threat to democracy. 41% support a ban on this party and 79% are in favour of demonstrations against the AfD. Germany has woken up.
Thirdly: In 2023, Germany will have finally phased out nuclear energy and will have generated 52% of its electricity from renewable sources.
The solar industry is not only booming in Germany. The solar world champion today is clearly China. The Middle Kingdom is currently breaking all records in the expansion of renewables. 500 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity were reached by the end of 2023. In three more years, it is expected to reach another terawatt (TW). China has already installed 40% of the world’s solar capacity. The USA tripled the expansion of solar energy in 2023 compared to the previous year, which corresponds to 11% of global output.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris estimates that low-emission power generation (solar, wind, hydro and nuclear) will cover half of the world’s total electricity consumption in just three years. Just a few years ago, many economists and politicians thought this development was impossible. For a long time, they believed that it was impossible to phase out nuclear power and coal. In this country, the decision has been made to phase out coal by 2038 following the phase-out of nuclear power. Iceland, Costa Rica and Kenya already produce almost 100 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources. The expansion of renewables is making massive progress worldwide.
However, we have major deficits everywhere in the transport transition, in heating and in agriculture and forestry. But the development in Germany shows how quickly the energy transition can succeed: in 1990 we had four per cent green electricity, in 2000 it was seven per cent, in 2010 it was already 17 per cent and by 2023 over half, namely 52 per cent. The European Commission wants to decide these days that 90 to 95 per cent of electricity within the EU should be produced from renewable sources by 2040.
By 90 to 95 per cent? The same applies here: intentions are good. Implementation is better. But this is the only way to fulfil the commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The sign of hope these days: it is foreseeable that the stronger renewable energies become and the more people understand these connections, the weaker the AfD will become. It is good that the Fridays for Future movement, with its demonstration experience, is at the forefront of the current mass demonstrations. There is also good news.
