Schneider calls for electrification as a way to overcome dependency on fossil energy

Berlin (d.de) – “All of humankind is currently paying an extremely high price for its dependency on fossil energy sources,” said Environment Minister Casten Schneider this morning at a press conference about Germany’s priorities at COP31 in Antalya. He spoke about the priorities and opportunities of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference, as well as about Germany’s goals.

Three quarters of humankind are living in countries without access to fossil energy sources and are therefore dependent on import. “There is a new incentive for these countries to change their business model,” the minister stated. He continued by saying that the way out involved expanding renewable energy, doubling energy efficiency and promoting electrification, which is a key initiative of the COP host country Turkey. The country would like for electricity to account for a share of 35 percent of global energy consumption by 2035. Schneider said at the press conference that the German government supported this goal. “If the global electrification target is achieved, import nations will save a total of 400 billion euros per year,” Carsten Schneider pointed out.

Germany would also like to use the Climate Change Conference as an opportunity for sending a strong signal to global markets. “Modern and efficient electrical technologies must be a part of the future,” Schneider said, adding that this was why he considered COP31 to be a business as well as a climate action conference. The minister explained that, “we need people of action, entrepreneurship and craftspeople” to be able to realise the climate action goals of the community of nations.