The times when every European could afford to fly by air are becoming a thing of the past. No more flights under $60, says German finance minister
German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has announced that the days of living convenience for the masses are coming to an end. All this is necessary to prevent dangerous climate change. Flying will be the lot of the rich.
On April 29, the German Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe ruled that the country’s 2019 climate protection law did not go far enough to limit dangerous climate change and thus violated the fundamental rights of younger generations to a humane future.
Lawmakers intend to end comfortable lifestyles
A court has ordered the German legislature to develop clearer goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And now, after the decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, zealous lawmakers are taking up with renewed vigor the task of weaning the masses from the comfortable lifestyle of air travel, their own homes, big cars and meat.
The good times will soon be over for the German masses, who, according to the government, have become too spoiled.
The latest announcement comes from German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who announced that he wants to impose a price cap on cheap flights in Europe, he said on the TV program ProSieben Spezial Live.
No flight should be less than 50 or 60 euros ($60 to $70).
Back to trains.
The German national online newspaper Welt reports that as part of its election platform, the country’s socialist SPD party “promises that rail travel across Europe will become cheaper and more attractive than air travel” and that “a lot of money will have to be invested in expanding local transportation.”
Wind and solar energy are growing too slowly
In a television interview, Scholz urged states to take concrete steps to protect the climate. Scholz is unhappy that investment in wind and solar power is very slow right now. Currently, many wind turbines in Germany are 20 years old, and it is becoming unprofitable to continue operating these old turbines because of running out of subsidies and high maintenance and repair costs.
Replacing the old small turbines with new, larger ones faces serious obstacles, such as fierce opposition from citizen groups and conservation activists.
In response to the Federal Building Court decision, Germany’s cabinet has begun drafting a new climate protection law requiring Germany to become “climate neutral” not by 2050, but by 2045.
Elitism
Already some are warning that restricting energy-intensive activities such as flying risks dividing society into “haves” and “have-nots.” Welt science journalist Axel Bojanowski, for example, tweeted:
“Even poor people can now afford air travel, but the lie about ‘Global Warming’ continues and so prices must be raised.”
What’s next? Heat? Meat?
Later, Bojanowski comments on how far all this regulation has to go:
“What’s next? Just think what they can get to in this madness. How about climate-damaging consumption of meat, vegetables, gasoline, heating oil, 3-bedroom apartments, etc.?”
