By Albert Link, Zara Riffler, Peter Tiede and Burkhard Uhlenbroich
How independently do the most important advisors to Economics Minister Robert Habeck (53, Greens) act in climate policy?
The Felt and Amigo affair in Habeck’s ministry. The focus so far: Habeck’s State Secretary Patrick Graichen (51), who can fall back on a network of family and friends in the ministry and in the most important climate organizations. And who just tried to get his best man a high-paying job (BILD reported).
But a second question is being asked more and more loudly in Berlin’s political scene: Who is actually behind Graichen & Co.?
One in particular: US investor Hal Harvey (62). He has almost endless resources and has thus created a green network from the USA in Germany as well. For the “time” HE is even the “most powerful Green in the world”.
Robert Habeck (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa
This is the financier of the climate lobby
In the scene, he is considered a climate activist from the very beginning. As a clean man with the best manners. Grew up in the posh ski resort of Aspen (Colorado). Son of a farmer and ski instructor (5 siblings). As early as the 1980s, he claims to have recognized oil as a fundamental evil – not only for the climate, but also for global peace.
Harvey studied physics and power engineering. He likes to tell how he screwed an electric motor into his Ford Escort back in 1992. On the roof: solar cells. As early as the 1990s, he wanted to convince Americans to save energy with the help of a foundation. One man, one mission: In 2001 he founded his first climate protection organization.
A year later, he becomes the “Scrooge McDuck” of the climate movement: He convinces the foundation of the IT giant Hewlett-Packard to finance his mission. When he founds his internationally oriented “Climate Work Foundation”, the billionaire foundation entrusts him with 500 million US dollars.
Money that also flows to Europe – especially to Germany. Millions-Harvey helps found “Agora Energiewende”, the “think tank” (“think tank”, ideas exchange) in which Habeck’s State Secretary Graichen will later make a career. The influential “Climate Neutrality Foundation” is also founded with Harvey’s climate dollar. Partners: The Mercator Foundation of the heirs of the German Metro group.
This will create a green lobby giant by 2020 at the latest. The Greens are still in the opposition, but are already working with the climate lobbyists on plans for the big German energy transition. In December 2021, the traffic light government will take over, and the Greens will suddenly be at the helm of power.
And that’s a dream come true for the lobbyists. The Berlin foundation manager Bernhard Lorentz had explained his concept to “Zeit” like this: First create studies, then translate them into politics. And then: employees of the think tanks “best placed in the ministry”.
The dream come true: Robert Habeck (53, Greens). Federal Minister for Economics and Climate Protection of the Federal Republic of Germany. Habeck makes the lobbyist Graichen State Secretary. Suddenly the plans from Graichen’s briefcase affect the lives of 80 million Germans. Lobbying becomes realpolitik. Graichen becomes Mr. Heat pump. The boundaries between the energy transition lobby and politics have finally been dissolved.
Explosive side changes between lobby and politics
Harvey is one step further, promoting the next top lobbyist: Rainer Baake (67, Greens), former Secretary of State for the Environment under Jürgen “the can deposit” Trittin (Greens) and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs under Sigmar Gabriel (SPD). Baake becomes the new director of the “Climate Neutrality Foundation”. Harvey is vice-chairman there, and Bernhardt Lorentz is the head of the foundation’s advisory board. He moved to the consulting giant Deloitte in 2022. Practical: An order has just come in from Habeck-Graichen (volume: 349,000 euros) – according to the ministry, this is the first order of this kind for Deloitte.
The question is therefore becoming more and more booming: How independent is Habeck’s climate policy? How much influence does US donor Harvey, who also co-financed the highly controversial German Environmental Aid, have on our energy transition?
BILD asked the Agora Energiewende: How much money has flowed from Harvey’s organizations in recent years? A spokeswoman confirmed grants from the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and Harvey’s Climate Imperative Foundation, among others, between 2019 and 2022.
In 2022 alone, almost 1.6 million euros flowed from the European Climate Foundation via the company “Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP) gGmbH”, sponsor of “Agora Energiewende”, “Agora Industrie” and “Agora Agrar”. Another 5.9 million euros came from Harvey’s “Climate Imperative Foundation”. Makes 7.5 million euros – 83 percent more than in the previous year.