19-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Chooses German Nuclear Power Plants Over Using Coal

Greta Thunberg, a well-known 19-year-old climate activist, claims that shutting down German nuclear power plants would be "a mistake" if it required the nation to burn more climate-warming coal.

Given the threat of an impending energy crisis brought on by the conflict in Ukraine, the German government is still deliberating the fate of its nuclear plants, which were previously scheduled to be shut down this year.

Three Nuclear Power Plants vs. A Lot of Coal

Focusing on coal when nuclear power has been made available, according to Thunberg, who instigated a youth climate movement with her lone protests outside of the Swedish parliament in 2018, was a very bad idea.

She did, however, acknowledge that there was a heated discussion about the subject in Germany in an interview that will be broadcast on Wednesday.

When asked if keeping Germany's three remaining nuclear power plants operational would be better for the environment, Thunberg replied that she believes it would be a mistake to shut down nuclear power plants in favor of coal if they are already operating.

Sandra Maischberger, the show's host, pressed Thunberg on whether she thought nuclear plants should be shut down the moment the current energy crisis is over. Thunberg responded that it depends because no one knows what will happen.

The 19-year-remarks old's come as the ruling coalition of Germany's three parties disagrees over the viability of suspending the nation's nuclear phaseout.

According to Robert Habeck, a Green Party opponent, and Economy Minister, maintaining the reactors would not significantly help the country's gas shortage.

He recently said that two of the plants could, in rare circumstances, run until April, but he opposes doing so for safety reasons. To guarantee energy supplies in the wake of Russia's decision to reduce natural gas deliveries to Europe, Habeck has separately approved the reactivation of some coal-fired and oil-fired power plants.

Focus on Renewable Energy Instead

Environmentalists warn that Germany runs the risk of failing to meet its climate goals if it burns more fossil fuels, but conservative lawmakers argue that given the precarious energy supply and the high cost of energy, the government should utilize all available resources to produce energy.

Right-wing German politicians and libertarians who had previously dismissed or sharply criticized Thunberg's activism welcomed her comments on nuclear power.

The adolescent, who is reportedly finishing high school, claimed that Germany's decision to depend on coal plants demonstrated what occurs when a person becomes overly dependent on these fossil fuels.

She criticized proposals to fund the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure, arguing that the emphasis should be placed on boosting renewable energy. The German government is promoting the production of wind and solar energy while insisting that new gas plants should be able to use clean hydrogen.

Thunberg pointed out that despite the possibility of lower prices, politicians in some nations, such as Sweden, are reluctant to advocate for people to conserve energy.

She claimed that while in Germany, energy conservation is a hot topic, it is outright illegal in Sweden to discuss actual energy savings. According to Thunberg, this is so that people won't mistake it for communism.

Thunberg said that while she does not think there is a single magic solution to the issue, people must understand the gravity of the crisis that humanity is facing due to rising temperatures. The high schooler is currently promoting her new book, which is centered on climate change.

The young climate activist claims that she is realistic about the future because this catastrophe can be avoided if people take the necessary actions. She continued by saying that if nothing is done, the planet will have to deal with the repercussions, so it is up to the people, AP News reports.