Is Germany moving step by step into an eco-dictatorship? Current developments show that, yes, freedoms are being reduced.
For years, citizen participation has been involved in infrastructure projects such as highways or wind turbines, citizens have voice rights and are allowed to say no, species protection is a priority so that animals that are endangered are supported and protected, but now it is said to have come out that Robert Habeck, Federal Minister of Economics (The Greens), was in Brussels and submitted a corresponding application to be able to introduce an emergency ordinance in Germany. The first emergency decree since 1933.
So what is it all about?
The expansion of wind power in Germany hangs, and not without reason, lack of skilled workers, lengthy approval procedures, expert opinions, etc., in addition, of course, there must be investors who want to build the wind turbines and accordingly drive a return.
In order to achieve Germany's climate targets by 2030, must be built 7 wind turbines per dayevery day, until 2030. The Handelsblatt speaks as of 2023 of 6 wind turbines per day by 2029.
This is hardly manageable and so the Federal Minister of Economics, Robert Habeck (The Greens), wants to virtually single-handedly override everything. He got the approval from the cabinet by e-mail instead of waiting until the next meeting. Man, if that would go so fast also with problems like poverty or pension...
The interesting thing is, how suddenly something like this is feasible, at the same time you push the real environmentalists in front of the head, because there are really people who care about nature and sustainability, because by the emergency ordinance, in addition to the elimination of citizen participation, the protection of species is undermined, endangered species no longer have priority. Priority is given to the construction of wind turbines. Do all Greens really like what Robert Habeck, the darling of the Greens in the Bundestag elections, is doing?
Criticism of duration of measures
18 months the emergency decree is to have existence, in which quasi the federal economy ministry can act and officially of course only more wind power plants wants to build, but as so often, it comes differently than one thought. Because who can remember COVID and the measures and restrictions of the government, the measures were extended again and again and only recently one confirmed that the FFP2 masks did not have the desired effect and the closure of schools was a mistakeThe current Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach (SPD), admits this, naturally shifting the blame onto the scientists, that one was wrongly advised. I mean, one could have reacted also differently or now after this knowledge resign, its wrong decisions admit can, but no, for it one is itself again too good.
And who says that this emergency ordinance is not also extended, as soon as one allows this once, then come perhaps forced shutdowns or industry stop, if there is not enough electricity. Can one then legally enforce, within the framework of the emergency ordinance. Isn't that right?
I therefore take a very dubious view of this and see the gradual restrictions on the rights of the free democratic basic order of our society. And where do we end up when the state cuts off electricity or rejects or refuses the opinion of citizens in the form of shareholdings? I see here indications of an eco-dictatorship. Because in Berlin a different wind is to blow soon and so the Top candidate of the Berlin Greens Bettina Jarasch that combustion cars from 2030 no longer allowed to drive in Berlin..... Brave New World.
Environmentalists and lawyers are on the pinnacle! NABU President Jörg-Andreas Krüger accuses Habeck of "chasing a quick political gain in climate protection" that causes "long-term damage.
▶︎ The Hamburg specialist lawyer Ruediger Nebelsieck (54) to BILD: "That is a unique procedure in German environmental law: By emergency law Minister Habeck wants to lever out the protection of species and also the citizen participation with the building of new wind power plants."
- Berliner Zeitung 01.02.2023 - Article: Habeck blows the whistle on citizen participation and environmental protection
In my opinion, the Greens have done enough in 2 years of government to damage the country, society and industry for years to come. So please go vote, the party you choose is your decision, but go vote, because the more people vote, the sooner politics knows how many are watching the politicians act.
Not that you can now say that no one saw this coming, the Satire Magazine Browser Ballet already saw this coming 3 years ago:
Does more wind also bring more independence?
The question remains whether it is worthwhile to build even more wind farms, because it does not make sense everywhere and in Germany have this only 25% efficiency („Accordingly, the best-case expected efficiency of the wind turbines, i.e., the ratio of the actual amount of electricity to the generators' ability to produce electricity, is about 25 percent, or about 2300 full-load hours per year."), and only when the wind blows.
The Neue Züricher Zeitung, with an analysis of wind data and targets, comes to a different conclusion than the Federal Minister of Economics' planned use of 2% of the land area of the Federal Republic of Germany for wind power use:
Thus, it makes little sense to build wind turbines everywhere, as this does not make the same amount of sense everywhere and is also efficient. Furthermore, 2% of Germany's land area corresponds to an area of 715,000 hectares, which are permanently sealed by the wind turbines and their foundations. One wind turbine is not that much, but 715,000 hectares reads differently.
ChatGPT's position on this
I have also asked the artificial intelligence ChatGPT from OpenAI what it thinks about whether it is now legitimate to push energy policy goals in a democratic society, well I am of course not fond of it, but I have tried to remain appropriately neutral and have not allowed myself any judgment as the AI will now answer. The answer amazes, is neutrally held, from different perspectives illuminated, and in the end nevertheless again the truth: No, it is not legitimate:
No, it is not legitimate to undermine citizen participation through an emergency law in order to push through energy policy goals in a democratic society.
In a democratic society, it should be crucial for policy makers to take into account the voices and opinions of citizens. This promotes an open and inclusive discussion on political issues and helps to make better decisions that meet the needs and wishes of citizens.
By undermining citizen participation in order to push through energy policy goals, the opinions and needs of citizens are not taken into account and it can lead to conflicts and dissatisfaction in society. It is therefore important that political decision-makers in a democratic society promote and respect citizen participation instead of undermining it.
- ChatGPT Jan 30 Version - 02.02.2023
Here is the full conversation:
Further sources:
If the BILD.de article is no longer available: Fallback Link Web Archive
The German government has amended the Federal Nature Conservation Act to ensure that the expansion of wind energy makes significant progress and that nature conservation is preserved: In order to speed up approval procedures, uniform federal standards now apply to species protection assessments. The law clarifies that the operation of wind turbines is in the overriding public interest and serves public safety. Protected Landscape Areas can be included in the search for areas for wind energy expansion.
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