Dear RePlaneteer,
I hope this email finds you well. Today, we at WePlanet Africa, would like to bring to your attention the developments in Germany’s energy sector that have left the country facing an unprecedented energy crisis and exposed the world to a climate catastrophe.
In April 2023, Germany shut down its last 3 nuclear plants in a process that started in 2011. As a result, in 2022, the European country exceeded its CO2 emission goals by a shocking 40 million metric tons due to its increased use of coal-fired power plants. The emissions are projected to get worse over winter as the country consumes more coal and gas.
To address this challenge, climate scientists have written a petition urging Germany to reopen at least six of its nuclear power plants. This plea not only holds importance for Germany but also has a profound impact on Africa’s sustainable development goals in various ways:
- Carbon Emission Reduction: Mitigating climate change is a global challenge that requires collective efforts from all nations. By maintaining their nuclear reactors’ in operation, Germany can significantly reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. This reduction would have a positive global effect, benefiting not only Europe but also African countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
- Sustainable Energy Collaboration: Africa’s energy demands are rising swiftly, and to meet them sustainably, the continent is progressively shifting towards clean and renewable energy sources including exploring possibilities of building nuclear reactors. However, the transition poses significant challenges, primarily in terms of funding, technological know-how, and infrastructural requirements. Germany, through its nuclear expertise, can lend valuable assistance and collaboration in developing Africa’s clean and renewable energy capacity, thereby fostering a strong partnership towards a carbon-neutral future. Any developments that will negatively impact nuclear energy in Germany will ultimately hurt Africa.
- Experience with nuclear energy and global geopolitics: Germany is one of the leading global economies with a long history of running nuclear plants. Its’ experience with nuclear energy plays a crucial role in shaping the energy landscape across the world and especially in Africa. On the other hand, a move to shut down nuclear reactors would inadvertently send a wrong message to Africa and hurt her efforts to ramp up energy supply and upset plans to transition from the carbon emitting biofuels to the clean nuclear energy.
It’s on the basis of this that we urge you to lend your voice and support the climate scientists by signing the petition in which they have called on the Germany government to reconsider their move and keep nuclear plants operational as part of their commitments and obligations to reduce carbon emissions.
The petition is found at https://www.replanet.ngo/germannuclearrestart
Thank you for your attention and continued efforts towards a sustainable and prosperous future for Africa.
Yours sincerely,
WePlanet Africa