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Interview on Climate Nationalism in Welt am Sonntag, July 6, 2025

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It’s Time to End Climate Nationalism

Energy expert and government advisor Franz Josef Radermacher delivers a sharp critique of German energy policy. He describes Germany as a “climate prison” that wastes vast sums of money while ignoring effective solutions – because certain actors profit from the current system

In the interview, Franz Josef Radermacher criticizes German climate policy as inefficient, overregulated, and expensive. He calls Germany a “climate prison” in which billions are spent on national measures that bring little global benefit. Instead, he advocates for an international climate policy: CO₂ emissions could be reduced much more cost-effectively in developing and emerging countries – through reforestation, CCS (carbon capture and storage), and CCU (carbon capture and utilization). These global approaches, he argues, are more effective and would also promote prosperity in poorer regions. Radermacher views Germany’s “all-electric” strategy – focused on wind and solar energy – critically, calling it costly and incomplete. He warns against degrowth and calls for the repeal of the Energy Efficiency Act. He considers the 2021 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court a mistake, as it overburdens Germany while being globally ineffective. His appeal: cooperation instead of climate nationalism – for realistic and effective climate protection.

Due to numerous inquiries, Prof. Radermacher has also answered additional questions that arose in connection with the interview.

The original interview in Welt am Sonntag from July 6, 2025, and the additional questions and answers can be found at the links below:

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THE “CLIMATE PRISON”

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(FAW/n Report)

How current narratives and regulations block the path to effective and economically sensible climate protection

Germany’s situation regarding climate protection is tragic in two respects. On the one hand, the current approach achieves essentially nothing in addressing climate change as a global challenge. Worldwide emissions continue to rise. On the other hand, this path generates extremely high avoidable costs, which burden our country and especially large parts of the economy. The economic and social collateral damage of the chosen path is clearly visible. Alongside the many losers, there are also beneficiaries of this path – actors who have contributed to shaping the current regulatory framework and who seek to prevent any change to the status quo to the greatest possible extent. Since an overall economic assessment of past policies is so clearly negative, the new government is attempting to take new approaches, though it is con-strained by the narrow scope of pre-existing agreements. One can only wish it success, for success is urgently needed. However, this is easier said than done, as Germany is trapped in a regulatory “climate prison”. A more technology-open and international approach, which would massively reduce transformation costs and serve climate protection far more effectively, is made extremely difficult by the regulatory structures that have developed in recent years, with their deeply layered effects at multiple levels. For the sake of the people, the economy, and the climate, it is to be hoped that the new government will succeed – despite all resistance – in breaking free from this “prison”.

8-Point Plan for an Affordable Energy Transition

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Together with partner organizations, FAW/n has developed an 8-point plan for an effective and affordable energy transition. The document, which has already been widely circulated publicly, calls for a fundamental shift in German energy policy to realign economic strength, climate protection, and energy security. The collaboration involved Global Energy Solutions, the Senate of Economy (Senat der Wirtschaft), 4Pi-Solutions, and the think tank R21 (denk-fabrik R21).

Despite high expenditures, Germany leads neither in electricity prices nor in CO₂ emissions: Electricity costs risk rising by up to 100%, while CO₂ emissions (at 380 g/kWh) remain far above those of countries like France. The German Federal Audit Office (Bundesrechnungshof) has criticized rising system costs and questioned the effectiveness of current measures.

Our plan presents eight practical measures for an affordable and effective energy transition: competitive electricity prices in Germany, market-based incentives instead of bureaucracy, CO₂ capture at fossil fuel power plants, sensible use of hydrogen and CO₂-neutral fuels, as well as a potential return to nuclear energy. New wind and solar installations should be able to compete in the market without subsidies. The use of German natural gas is also proposed as a transitional solution

Implementing these measures could not only relieve pressure on German industry and prevent deindustrialization, but would also free up substantial funds year after year. These resources could be partially invested internationally in climate protection, which would then lead to an effective global solution for building prosperity and climate protection contributions, while also helping to solve the climate crisis internationally – for example by supporting developing and emerging countries.

United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan

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This year’s climate change conference in Baku primarily focused on international financing of climate-related issues. The key points of the final declaration include:

  • An increase in public financing of climate-related issues for developing countries from the current $100 billion USD per year to at least $300 billion USD per year by 2035,
  • A rise in funding from all sources, both public and private, to at least $1.3 trillion USD per year by 2035,
  • Standards and rules for international carbon markets (Article 6.4) that enable new financial flows to the Global South.

These are steps in the right direction to meet the legitimate expectations of the Global South AND create the prerequisites for successful climate action. The conference certainly contributes to greater realism regarding the necessity of international cooperation and financing. Even though many questions remain unanswered and developing countries would have preferred larger sums, there is hope that the coming weeks and months will bring further steps toward a viable overall concept for solving the climate challenge. With the GES book “ALL IN!”, a proposal exists for what this could look like

Here you can read the report on COP29 by Estelle Herlyn (GES), who attended the conference in Baku in person:

Read the Climate Conference Report

Bildquelle: FAW/n

Book “ALL IN!” published

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Just in time for the 2024 Frankfurt Book Fair (October 22, 2024), Murmann Verlag has published “ALL IN! Energy and Prosperity for a Growing World”.

ALL IN! – Energy and Prosperity for a Growing World by Franz Josef Radermacher and Bert Beyers – along with many collaborators – is a passionate appeal for a realistic and fair global energy transition. The authors criticize Germany’s focus on an “All-Electric” strategy and exclusively renewable energy as insufficient, unrealistic, and unaffordable. Given the rapidly growing global energy demand – especially in the Global South – they advocate for a technology-neutral approach, which includes fossil fuels with carbon capture as well as modern nuclear power.

The book emphasizes the need to support developing and emerging economies in achieving economic growth, even if this leads to higher emissions, in order to combat poverty. At the same time, industrialized nations must invest heavily in making climate-friendly technologies globally accessible. This is the only way to effectively combat climate change.

Radermacher and Beyers argue for pragmatism over ideology and global cooperation over national solo efforts. Their goal: prosperity for all while limiting global warming and preserving biodiversity. ALL IN! is a call for a course correction in energy policy – realistic, solidarity-driven, and future-oriented.

Key Arguments:

·        ALL IN! – We must immediately start utilizing exclusively climate-neutral and safe energy sources: renewables, fossil fuels with carbon capture, and nuclear energy.

·        ALL IN! – This requires a pragmatic and technology-neutral approach – in a symbiosis of technology and nature.

·        ALL IN! – The climate challenge will not be decided in Germany, Europe, or even the U.S., but rather in China, India, and Africa. Climate nationalism is not the answer – and Germany’s “All Electric” approach is also a dead end.

The book can be ordered from Murmann Publishers (order here), from Thalia (order here), from Hugendubel (order here), or at your local bookstore of choice.

Image source: FAW/n & Global Energy Solutions

Questions of the Century

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How can we reconcile global access to health, the elimination of poverty and hunger, and a healthy planet? In 2015, all UN member states agreed on the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create a shared framework for addressing these challenges. The implementation of these goals is discussed weekly in the DIE ZEIT series “Questions of the Century.”

In the twelfth episode, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Gerd Müller, Nina Ruge (journalist, TV presenter, and ambassador of the Alliance for Development and Climate), Prof. Dr. Estelle Herlyn (Scientific Director of the Competence Center for Sustainable Development at FOM Düsseldorf and Senior Researcher at FAW/n), and Christian Schneider (Managing Director of UNICEF Germany) discussed SDG 13: Climate Action.

Key themes included the issue of development—which, according to Prof. Herlyn, is often neglected—and the relationship between environmental protection and climate action. These two areas should go hand in hand, yet they are currently marked by conflicting goals. Population growth also plays a crucial role and must not be underestimated. “Climate protection is the key survival issue of the future,” emphasized Dr. Gerd Müller.

If we fail to achieve our climate goals, up to 500 million people will be severely affected, with children suffering the most from the consequences of climate change, as Christian Schneider pointed out. What does this mean for us personally? According to the panel of experts, change must begin with each individual. In this context, Nina Ruge advocates for membership in the Alliance for Development and Climate.

The FAW/n strongly supports Ambassador Nina Ruge and Senior Researcher Prof. Herlyn. At FAW/n, we explore how industrialized nations, together with developing and emerging economies, can work in unison at climate conferences toward carbon neutrality, identify the most promising and efficient solutions, and define the role of the private sector in this process.

You can find the full discussion and other episodes on different SDGs here.

Image source: Phil Dera

Commentary on the Federal Constitutional Court Ruling on the Federal Climate Protection Act

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The current debate surrounding climate issues has now reached the Federal Constitutional Court. The focus of the ruling, handed down on April 29, is on questions of intergenerational justice: To what extent could the previous approach to climate protection lead to future restrictions on freedoms and rights for the younger generation, simply because the older generation today is unwilling to contribute sufficiently to climate protection?

The Federal Constitutional Court declared the Federal Government’s Climate Protection Act partially unconstitutional, primarily because it lacks intermediate targets for the period after 2030. The climate protection targets set for 2030, however, were deemed unproblematic. The law is now to be revised by the end of 2022.

Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Radermacher offers a critical commentary on the ruling: According to him, the Court’s position is not convincing from a logical or scientific standpoint, as it ignores important aspects of the climate debate. This includes the fact that achieving an average temperature rise of only 1.5°C is not solely within the power of German policy but is a global goal that requires global action. Moreover, it is questionable whether Germany’s existing climate protection measures are even correct. The professor cites examples of how CO₂ emissions are managed in China and Nigeria, arguing that a purely national approach to the budget cannot be effective.

The ruling has been “stylized as an epochal event” in the media, which, according to him, it is not. In fact, the judges’ demands of policymakers are relatively modest. What the ruling does imply in terms of consequences, what challenges lie ahead beyond climate issues, and what climate measures would be effective, can be read here.

Image source: Udo Pohlmann (Pixabay)

European Union flag waving on the wind

Finnish EU Council Presidency Offsets Flight Emissions

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Finnish EU Council Presidency Offsets Flight Emissions

During its Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Finland is offsetting the flight emissions of participants and delegations by financing projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This offsetting measure is a concrete step in climate protection and forms part of the Finnish Presidency’s commitment to sustainable event management, reflecting the urgent need to counteract climate change.

Read the full press release.

Image source: Fotolia / Lulla