German politician: "There will be no vaccine against the climate crisis"

HAMBURG. Green leader Robert Habeck has drawn parallels between the corona pandemic and climate change. “Both are global, fighting them requires international cooperation. Both force us to question old certainties. That is why populists have long denied them. Both would be more manageable if you act with foresight. Both have in common that the increase in the curves - infections and temperature - must be flattened,” said Habeck to Die Zeit.

One difference, however, was that the Corona crisis triggered immediate fear. “On the other hand, many people push the climate crisis away, at some point later, somewhere else. Wrongly, especially since there will never be a vaccine against the climate crisis."

No "just go back"
Habeck warned against believing that after the Corona crisis, one could fall back into old behavior patterns and simply go back to normal. “The time before Corona was also a time of crisis. Therefore, a "just go back and from then on as before" would be wrong. We should now realize at the latest that precaution creates security - so we have to protect resources better, for example. Growth is no longer the only criterion for social prosperity. We have to tame capitalism, that is, to enforce a social-ecological market economy. "

The Green leader also calls for strict criteria to be used when awarding government aid due to the Corona crisis. "I am in favor of the companies that are now receiving state support having to cap their managers' salaries, not paying dividends to shareholders and not being allowed to invest money in tax havens." Habeck emphasized that compliance with rules and decency should be the prerequisites. In addition, wealthy people should be more involved in tax revenue.

Source:

Junge Freiheit