Survey: Germans want more coercion in the fight against climate change

Luxenbourg - According to a survey, a large majority of Germans are in favor of tougher measures in favor of climate protection. Six out of ten Germans wanted a tax on products and services that contribute most to global warming, according to a survey by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which is available to the AFP news agency.

85 percent of those surveyed were in favor of replacing short-haul flights with express train connections. In addition, a majority (58 percent) answered the question of which energy sources their country should use with renewable energies. Across Europe it was 63 percent. By contrast, eleven percent of Germans and twelve percent of Europeans are in favor of expanding nuclear power.

EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle concludes from the results of the survey that a large majority of Germans are demanding stricter measures and better solutions from the authorities in order to counter climate change. With a view to the upcoming World Climate Conference in Scotland at the beginning of November, this is “a clear mandate for us to do even more to accelerate the green turnaround”. The EIB finances such projects.

The Luxembourg-based bank is an EU body. For the survey, they said more than 30,000 people in 30 European countries between the end of August and the end of September were interviewed.

Environment minister calls for more climate commitments from industrialized nations
Meanwhile, the acting Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) called for more commitment to climate protection. “Our current plans are only sufficient to keep global warming well below three degrees Celsius. Keeping it below the agreed two degrees or better 1.5 degrees will not be easy and will require more countries to increase their climate targets,” Schulze said, according to ARD, at the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

The 20 largest industrial nations have a special responsibility. They would have to determine every year how they can manage to emit only as many greenhouse gases as can be neutralized again. The states have set themselves the goal of providing $100 billion each year to help poorer countries. “But we are still a long way from this goal. That is why Germany has doubled these funds. And we hope that many countries will follow this example.” The outgoing minister also warned that, as things stand at present, Germany will also miss its climate targets.

Source: Junge Freiheit