Photo: Prof.Dr. Ulrich the first v. Weizsäcker signs his new book at Haltern

HOLDER AT THE LAKE. Around 120 attentive listeners listened to the globally sought-after pioneer of the climate and environment movement, Prof. Dr. Ernst-Ulrich von Weizsäcker to take stronger action to protect the climate. “Because the previous sustainability agenda contained many aggressive growth targets. However, prosperity must no longer be associated with growth,” is the urgent warning from the 83-year-old scientist, best-selling author and former member of the Bundestag.

“Economic growth goes hand in hand with climate damage, so a new economy is the most important thing,” he said. Energy and resources are always miscalculated as cheaply as possible. “Therefore, we must invest in the future, not in the past. Photovoltaics have become three hundred times cheaper in the last 40 years and methanol will become a climate neutral fuel,” he explained. One can no longer rely on nuclear energy rationally. And phasing out coal will make countries like India richer, they don’t know it yet.

Since only Europe is pursuing a serious climate policy, Ernst-Ulrich von Weizsäcker, as a proponent of global climate policy and “earth policy”, has a viable proposal for fair compensation to poor countries through equal emission rights. The world’s population has tripled since 1950, “which is why we need enlightenment and a new balance on the whole earth,” he warned. “Only those who benefit the climate and nature will be the winners in the future. The destroyer has to be the loser,” says his latest book, which he presented and signed on the night of the lecture. Kortenkamp bookstore in Haltern presented some of his many books in the foyer.

Biodiversity is just as important for survival

After last year’s “hottest summer in thousands of years”, Prof. von Weizsäcker once again clarifies the dimensions of climate change with the imminent 65 cm sea level rise. “Water heating is 10 times higher than air heating,” he explained. Biodiversity is given far too little attention for a prosperous planet: “Biodiversity is as important for the survival of the earth and humankind as protection of the climate”. Because he relies on the commitment of the younger generation, he is optimistic. But he was barely present in the hall.

His call for the protection of species and climate reached most of those present, as the lively discussion that followed showed. It was also about the challenge for the individual and the willingness to “consider the new decency as a quality advantage” in one’s lifestyle, as one panelist recommended. The organizing community of 8 participating organizations was able to acquire the personality of a discussion partner in technically competent speakers, who, as members of the UNO committee and European scientific and environmental institutions, were able to motivate the people at Haltern to rethink and act decisively.

Photo: Prof. Ernst-Ulrich von Weizsäcker (83) patiently signs his latest book “That’s not enough – what we really need in the climate crisis!”