Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) criticizes her own party for communication errors in climate protection policy. Lemke told the “Bild am Sonntag” (BamS): “Now we are feeling the climate protection measures in our everyday lives, which increases concerns about these changes. This is also the phase where we as Greens didn’t immediately hit the right note and should have explained more and better.”
“Greens in government have always dropped in polls”
Lemke sees the changed climate protection policy as the reason for the long-term survey crash of the Greens: “The surveys show that this government is putting an end to mere lip service when it comes to climate protection. She acts and clears up problems that previous governments left behind.” That her party is losing popularity with the voters is nothing new for Lemke.
“Greens have always dropped in polls when they were in government responsibility and pushed through changes,” said the party’s long-time national manager. According to Lemke, the fate of the Greens will be decided by their communication with the citizens. “The question is: do we develop the power to convince people that change is necessary, we are securing our future with it, and we are doing it in such a way that it works and is feasible for the individual,” says Lemke.
Lemke warns of the costs of climate change
At the same time, Lemke defended the need for climate protection measures. It is no longer enough “as a government in Paris to sign a fancy climate agreement but not to act politically at home,” said Lemke. Since 2018 at the latest, Germany has been suffering from recurring summer droughts. “We’re at the point where we need to act.”
Lemke warned of the immense costs of climate change: “It will be really expensive if we do without climate protection measures. Floods, heavy rain, droughts and forest fires are increasing, and they are causing massive damage.” According to a study, extreme weather events, which would become more likely and more intense as a result of the climate crisis, would have caused damage of almost 145 billion euros from 2000 to 2021, 80 billion of them since 2018. In northern Germany, the dikes would have to be raised by one to two meters. “If we don’t act now, it will be unaffordable for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” said Lemke.
The Environment Minister accused the CDU chairman Friedrich Merz of irresponsibility in the dispute over the heating law: “What is no longer possible is to claim that we still have many years, as Friedrich Merz does. That is irresponsible towards our children and grandchildren. If we take climate protection seriously, we need this heat transition.” When it comes to heating, the country is currently in a phase “where we have to abandon the old, but not everyone is convinced by the new. We have to cross that threshold.” Many people cannot yet imagine how expensive oil and gas will be. Because at the same time the price of electricity will fall due to the expansion of wind and solar energy, a heat pump will be cheaper than gas heating in the medium and long term, Lemke campaigned for the government’s heating plans.
