From BZ/dpa
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ruled out a speed limit to deal with the energy and climate crisis.
“This government has not agreed on that and that is why it will not come,” said the SPD politician on Sunday in a citizen question format before the summer interview of the ARD “Report from Berlin”.
When asked about possible personal measures in the fight against climate change, the Chancellor said: “That’s a question that always makes me a little uncomfortable.”
Of course, he could say that he made sure that his electricity supplier supplied him with CO2-neutral electricity. But the truth for him as chancellor is that his carbon footprint is “terrible”. Scholz referred, among other things, to flights all over the world in government aircraft and the summit marathon of the past few days. “And I think you shouldn’t beat around the bush and pretend that you’re really someone who is very exemplary when it comes to CO2 emissions.”
In the interview, he also commented on the rising heating costs and the possible coming corona wave in autumn.
Heating costs “social explosive”
Scholz said about the rising energy costs: “It’s social explosives.” He’s very worried. “Because the citizens have to get by with their lives, and if the heating bill suddenly increases by a few hundred euros, then that’s a sum that many can’t really cope with.”
He held out the prospect of further relief in the long term, but at the same time dampened expectations of the start of the planned concerted action this Monday in the Chancellery. In this dialogue initiated by Scholz with the social partners, scientists and the Bundesbank, steps against inflation are to be discussed.
No more lockdown
Accordingly, he does not expect such drastic corona measures as in the last two years. “There shouldn’t be any more school closures, and I don’t think we need a lockdown like we’ve had in recent years,” he said. You now have a “completely changed situation,” said Scholz, with a view to a vaccination rate of 76 percent (basic immunization) in Germany.
However, the Chancellor can imagine that compulsory tests and masks will again play a greater role in the fight against Corona in autumn and winter. “There has to be a discussion about whether the tests will be used again,” he said. And on the obligation to wear a mask, which mainly still exists on public transport and in facilities with risk groups such as clinics and nursing homes, he said: “I think that one has to assume that the mask will play a bigger role in autumn and winter than now.”
