Bundesumweltminister Carsten Schneider (SPD) calls for a new direction in Germany’s energy policy because of the Iran war. “All the energy‑policy decisions that lie ahead must serve the goal of making Germany less dependent on uncertain fossil fuels” Schneider told “Der Spiegel”.
Renewable energies are “security energies” that have already cut deep into Germany’s and Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. The current developments in the Middle East underline this point. “Heat pumps and electric cars are technologies that make our country stronger and safer in an era of geopolitical uncertainty” the SPD politician added.
Schneider argues that a nation that has built resilience with wind turbines, solar panels, heat pumps, and electric cars can look toward the Strait of Hormuz with fewer economic concerns. “The Iran war is a painful reminder of how vulnerable we remain to shocks in the oil and gas markets. Germany loses billions through these dependencies, which benefit oil and gas companies”.
He concludes that climate protection is the key to exiting the fossil‑energy crisis. “Choosing climate protection is also a geopolitically and geo‑economically smart decision”.
