In a new episode of Think & Do – the podcast magazine of the Stifterverband – Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher shares his insights on several fundamental issues, including basic rights and the pandemic, climate protection and power, and affordable energy prosperity.

Over the past two years, the pandemic has dominated public discourse. According to Prof. Radermacher, there have been both winners and losers of the crisis, depending largely on an individual’s stage of life and financial situation. “What I missed most throughout the process was freedom,” he summarizes his criticism. He also reflects on the role of science during the pandemic and how public communication was influenced by what people wanted to hear.

Another major topic discussed is the German federal election on September 26, 2021, in which climate protection has played an unprecedented role. Yet, Prof. Radermacher takes a critical view: to truly understand sustainability and climate issues, one must look back to the 1972 World Environmental Conference in Stockholm. That was when an unresolvable tension between wealthy and developing nations first became evident – raising the key question: “Is there a way for people in poorer countries to achieve a decent level of prosperity while we still preserve biodiversity, protect the environment, and maintain a stable climate?”

Later in the podcast, Prof. Radermacher examines Germany’s climate and energy policy, emphasizing the need for international cooperation rather than insisting on producing domestically what could be achieved more efficiently and affordably abroad.

The podcast is divided into 13 thematic segments, which can be listened to individually or as a complete episode. You can access the full podcast and transcript here.

Image source: Free-Photos (Pixabay)