“The ban on combustion engines accelerates climate change”

2023-08-01 02:21:41

The President Emeritus of the Ifo Institute, Hans-Werner Sinn, criticizes the federal government’s energy policy. The CO2 emissions from oil, coal and Co. can only be reduced if “everyone or almost everyone participates, because what we don’t consume is otherwise consumed by others,” said the economics professor of the newspaper “Bild” on Tuesday.

“If Germany stops buying oil, the world market price will fall and others will buy it,” said Sinn. The past 40 years have clearly shown that. A ban on internal combustion engines is therefore pointless: “It ruins our automotive industry, lowers our standard of living and subsidizes other countries, especially China. Where not only more and more coal has been burned in recent years, but also oil consumption has increased.” Since there is not enough green electricity and nuclear power plants are being shut down, “more electric cars mean lignite mining and more carbon in the air”.

Sinn considers fossil fuels to be indispensable in the energy transition

According to Sinn, the ban on combustion engines does not lead to fewer carbon emissions because the oil tankers are diverted to other countries. “Climate change is accelerating because of the ban on combustion engines.” The economist also believes that replacing oil-fired heating systems with heat pumps is not effective in terms of climate protection. The oil is burned elsewhere and the increased consumption of electricity means that the power plants burn more lignite.

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With a view to the expansion of renewable energies, Sinn told the newspaper: “Wind and solar power will not supply us alone. The sources cannot be controlled and the weather is unstable.” In periods of darkness, controllable power plants should be able to cover all of Germany’s consumption. The increasing electricity consumption in the building and transport sector exacerbates the problem. “Unfortunately, we cannot tackle the energy transition without fossil fuels because we are doing without nuclear power.”