The former Federal Environment Minister, Jürgen Trittin (Greens), believes that climate activists have a duty to engage in climate protection beyond protest actions.
“You need these movements to emphasize the need for action, but that’s still not climate policy” said the former Green politician to the Watson news portal. “That’s why it’s important for climate activists not only to take to the streets, but for example, to attend citizen hearings on wind farms and participate in the discussion.”
Regarding the upcoming federal elections, the former Bundestag member warned against a political departure from climate protection. “Climate protection has today become a part of the cultural war of the political right” he said. While the industry is taking big steps towards transformation, the CDU and FDP are primarily braking. “The worst that can happen to us is to end this development by a course change.” Just in the areas of energy, buildings and transportation, the future federal government should build on the achievements of the SPD-Green government coalition.
Trittin was Federal Environment Minister under the red-green government from 1998 to 2005. In 2023, he resigned from his Bundestag seat and retired.