Fridays for Future raises the alarm: "The nuclear power debate is dangerous"

Created: 10/19/2022 5:01 p.m

By: Fabian Hartmann

Climate activist Annika Rittmann warns of a comeback of nuclear power.

© Annette Riedl/dpa

The traffic light has cleared the way for longer use of nuclear power.

This is met with criticism from the climate protectors of Fridays for Future.

Berlin – The traffic light has decided: Germany's nuclear power plants will stay longer on the grid.

The last three kilns should continue to run at most until April 15, 2023.

A chancellor's word of power ended the dispute in the coalition.

But the nuclear power plant debate is not over - at least that's what the Fridays for Future movement fears.

“We see that the CDU and FDP are trying to shift the discourse towards nuclear power.

This is incredibly dangerous and worries us," said climate activist Annika Rittmann to the

.

Fridays for Future: The energy crisis can only be solved with renewables

From the point of view of environmentalists, the debate about nuclear power is primarily used to distract attention from the fact that renewable energies need to be massively expanded.

"The solution is blocked by nuclear power," said Rittmann in an interview with our editors.

In the current energy crisis, nuclear power plants are no way out.

"With nuclear power, only one percent of Russian gas can be saved," said Rittmann.

The activist refrained from explicit criticism of the Greens.

“We expect all parties to pursue active climate policies – what we see is conflict.

All parties fail to deliver”.

It is now important to push ahead with the expansion of renewable energies.

"Otherwise we will face the same question in April," said Rittmann.

It must be clear that there will be no further investment in nuclear power.

Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is particularly in demand here.

Greta Thunberg's nuclear testimony 'taken out of context'

For the German branch of Fridays for Future, the following applies: the future belongs to renewables.

Nuclear power does not contribute to solving the energy crisis and halting climate change.

However, there have recently been other voices in the movement.

The Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg had said in the ARD program Maischberger that it would be a mistake to "shut down the nuclear power plants and turn to coal".

For this, she received public approval from Union and FDP politicians, including Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (both FDP).

Rittmann told the

: "The parties that have been blocking the expansion of renewables for years are taking quotes out of context." In a

interview, Thunberg presented her position in a more differentiated way.

She said that she was against nuclear power - but currently thought it would be better to leave existing nuclear power plants connected to the grid if coal was the alternative.