Is phasing out fossil fuels sensible? Is it necessary for humanity to give up prosperity in the name of climate protection? In an interview with Stephan Strzyzowski, editor-in-chief of die Wirtschaft, Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. Radermacher answers with a clear “No.”

The war in Ukraine has made Russian gas a controversial topic, but even before that, climate activists were calling for Germany to phase out coal, gas, and oil. According to Prof. Radermacher, however, moving away from fossil fuels would have serious political consequences, be extremely costly, and ultimately have little impact on the global climate. Instead, CO₂ should be captured and reintroduced into a circular system – a concept already being implemented in the U.S. and Norway. That said, Prof. Radermacher does see value in expanding renewable energy “toward doubling the current level.”

Other topics discussed in the interview include the beneficiaries of the fossil fuel phase-out, the tension between nature conservation and building wind turbines, and the broader effects of climate policy in Europe.

The full interview can be found here.

Image source: LoggaWiggler (Pixabay)