BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) believes that the Paris climate agreement must be observed. “I think we have to have the ambition to do everything we can to make it happen,” said Scholz at the youth policy days in Berlin on Thursday. The alternative cannot be “that we move into a corner, pull a large scarf over our heads and then cry”. When asked specifically whether the Paris climate agreement could still be achieved, the chancellor answered “yes”.
According to the Paris climate agreement, the states want to keep global warming well below two degrees compared to the pre-industrial level, but if possible stop it at 1.5 degrees.
An unbelievable pace is needed for this to really succeed, said the Chancellor. “I tried to calculate that,” said Scholz. “We have to manage to build 40 football fields of solar panels a day. We have to build thousands of kilometers of power lines.” This is the only way to fully rely on electromobility.
In addition to many questions about climate change, the young people were also concerned with topics such as mental health, integration, inclusion and the school system. There are many things that could be improved and developed further, Scholz replied. “For example, I was always a very unsportsmanlike student. I didn’t find out until I was 40 that I enjoyed running. And when I was 50 that I would like to row. Maybe I could have found out when I was 16.” Many have talents that sometimes go unnoticed. But there is no solution for all problems, there are still many school subjects where you have to do something.
Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens) also visited the political youth days and answered questions from young people. She was optimistic that she would soon be able to provide more details on the planned basic child security./svv/DP/nas