I I sit on the sofa and shudder. No, I’m not watching “Germany’s Next Top Model,” nor a “press conference” with Donald Trump. I’m researching how successful this column is. The result is devastating. But that this ends here for now has other reasons.
This small, brave column that appears here every two weeks is called “We Are Saving the World.” But it does not live up to its promise. This column has existed since 2014 and the world is so not saved: When I started my job as world-saver, the CO₂ concentration in the air was 397 ppm (parts per million). Today it is 429 ppm. In 2014 the Earth was 0.8 degrees Celsius warmer than before industrialization. Today it is 1.4 degrees. Back then 22,413 animal and plant species were threatened with extinction. Today 48,646.
On the sofa a chill runs down my spine. It’s stark what we’ve grown used to: how normal the loss of nature, safety, and quality of life has become. How habitually we are sawing off the branch we’re sitting on. And we celebrate every new, even sharper saw. How commonplace stupidity rules. You want to scream. Or write a column.
The saving of the world, therefore, remains on hold. The blame is probably not only mine, but I can’t prove it. But what I actually wanted to say: This is my for-now last official act as a world-saver, my last column in for the time being. From April I’m stepping away from everything for a while, put the phone away, close the laptop, and forget all my passwords. No emails, no calls, no professional appointments. A timeout. Somewhere far away from everything and everyone. There I can’t deliver 3,300 characters every two weeks even at the most wonderful eco-economy desk in the world.
Warum jetzt Schluss ist
The end of saving the world is not the end of the world. Pötter out? “Hooray!”, many will cheer. Finally an end to this nonsense of steep theses, insults, dumb questions, and flat jokes. That, however, is exactly what I love about this narrative form. Every two weeks I could rant or praise, send ideas into the world, vent my frustration, marvel or dream. I have done this in over 305 columns. Thanks for reading.
Now the message is: “You save the world.” I admit: It isn’t the easiest time to take on saving the world when world-destruction is booming. When major villains rule and petty villains want to stamp out climate targets.
But beware: Resigning is not an option. Becoming cynical is not either. We’ll leave that to the villains and their sycophants. The key is not to lose hope. To find paths, to think in terms of solutions, to connect with like-minded people. I often wonder why I’m not more desperate. Perhaps because I work hard at hope.
Jetzt seid ihr gefragt
For there are good news indeed: Since 2014 we have reduced Germany’s CO₂ emissions from 900 million tons to 650 million, without getting poorer. Green electricity made up 27 percent of the power mix then; today it’s 56 percent. Renewables and electric cars are now cheaper than their fossil rivals. We have witnessed with Fridays for Future a powerful climate movement that no one had expected. So my mission was not a total failure.
Also: It can be done. A lot can be done. The solutions are often there, the money is there, many people are ready for the change. What is needed above all is the courage to push changes forward and to fight for them, if necessary with a 50.01 percent majority. I will leave you with these ideas for now and look elsewhere. I’m sure you will find your own ideas of saving the world.
Whoever is seriously a world-saver once, stays it as well. We can’t help it. I adhere to the principle that has carried me through thirty years of work as an environmental journalist: the fight against stupidity has just begun. You won’t believe it—but as I write this, it is really five minutes to twelve. The direction is clear: we focus on our tasks. Not on giving up.
