Speeches

Mr President! If you rely on fossil fuels, you will feel the consequences directly. Exploding oil prices show once again: Dependence on fossil fuels makes us vulnerable. Electricity remains far too expensive for many people in Germany, in Europe. Millions live in energy poverty. And our Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Reiche, driven by the gas lobby, is steering Germany into a dead end at full throttle. We must finally invest consistently in wind and solar energy. Spain shows that things are different. As a result of the expansion of Wind‑ and solar energy, electricity prices there have fallen by 75 percent since 2019. Nevertheless, the Commission approves billions of euros of state aid in Germany for LNG ‑Terminals, which are under half of their capacity utilization. Our path is clear: out of fossil imports, end the erroneous path of micronuclear power plants, pure in renewable energies, socially just, in harmony with climate and nature conservation.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, The protection of endangered species is essential. The root causes of wildlife trafficking – poverty, inequality and exploitation – need to be clearly identified and tackled. The EU must put social justice and community-based nature conservation at the heart of its strategy. The EU needs to engage with CITES on species protection through education and, above all, reducing demand through clear rules. Because one thing is clear: Modes of production and consumption, especially in the Global North, are driving species extinction. The mere recognition of the role of indigenous peoples and local communities is not enough. They must be actively involved in decisions. They defend biodiversity at the forefront. Colonial conservation models that separate nature and man must be a thing of the past. It is unacceptable that over 100,000 Maasai are forcibly expelled from their lands in Tanzania to make room for nature and hunting reserves.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen! We will not solve the climate crisis without fighting inequality. The richest 1% cause more emissions than the poorest 66%. More capitalism cannot solve a problem forced by capitalism. The climate crisis is also a consequence of colonial injustice. The Global South suffers the most, although it has contributed the least to global warming. The EU must live up to its responsibilities, as set out in the Paris Agreement. But Germany, the EU's largest issuer, is going the wrong way: new gas-fired power plants, more gas production, fewer climate protection laws and trickery with CO2Certificates instead of real measures – this is a moral failure and a clear violation of Article 2 of the Paris Agreement. And most importantly: Low- and middle-income people will suffer the most from the consequences of this misguided policy.