Blog 8 — Berlin
Before the train headed to Berlin, the guest speaker event in Hamburg featuring Monika Griefahn, an environmental advocate, politician, and board member of Greenpeace International, inspired me to contemplate how to balance environmental goals with social inclusion and justice.
The inclination of Germans towards environmental protection and sustainable living is well-recognized. They are embedding sustainability into the national ethos, starting from the protest against Nuclear Brokdorf in 1977 to the founding of Greenpeace company, an environmental nonprofit organization. Especially learning about the disaster of Fukushima in 2011, Germans shook the belief in safe nuclear power to its core, which marked a huge turning point in environmental consciousness and sustainability. Even Angela Merkel, a trained physicist who believed in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, who once said, “I will always consider it absurd to shut down technologically safe nuclear power plants that don’t emit CO₂,” changed her mind: Germany would be suspending its recently approved extension of the operating lives of nuclear power plants (Hasselbach, 2021). In only a matter of weeks, the political situation changed for this “conservative” country, bolstering the Green Party’s position, as their long-standing advocacy for renewable energy and resolute opposition to nuclear power resonated with the public’s sentiments. Merkel’s close ally and a big supporter of atomic energy, Stefan Mappus, lost as the incumbent state premier in Baden Württemberg to Winfried Kretschmann of the Green party surprisingly (Hasselbach, 2021). As public support for environmental initiatives and grassroots movements fast approach its goals of shutting down the last three nuclear plants in 2023 and phasing out coal by 2038, it has pressured politicians to prioritize green policies and find alternatives, for example, green energy.
This historical backdrop sets the stage for innovative solutions like those offered by Ubitricity, a company we visited in Berlin at the forefront of integrating sustainable energy use into daily life through accessible charging points for electric vehicles. By fitting existing infrastructures, like lampposts and bollards, in front of the houses of locals with charging capabilities, Ubitricity exemplifies the synergy among technological innovation, social inclusion, and environmental justice. However, this practice would indeed bring privacy concerns to the locals due to the increased presence of non-resident EV users. By proactively engaging in transparent communication and negotiations with local communities, Ubitricity can address these privacy issues by prioritizing the well-being of residents, thus fostering greater acceptance and success for this environmentally-focused project. Yet, it’s essential to recognize the unresolved broader challenges that accompany Germany’s transition to a green economy. Substantial investments in this industry would present a significant financial burden on Germany, and the shift towards a green economy poses significant challenges and competitiveness for traditional industries and workers.
