Queen Elizabeth II had a lifelong affection for corgis, famously declaring, 'My corgis are family.'

Her bond with the breed began in 1933 when her father, King George VI, brought home a corgi named Dookie, marking the start of the royal family's enduring connection to corgis.

For her 18th birthday in 1944, the Queen was gifted a corgi named Susan, who not only accompanied her on her honeymoon but also became the matriarch of the royal line of corgis.

Over the course of her life, Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis, many of whom were descendants of Susan, as she bred 14 generations of the breed.

The Queen's corgis were a constant presence during her reign, symbolizing her deep personal connection to the breed.

The royal corgis were treated to a life of luxury, enjoying meals prepared by top chefs that included lamb, beef, chicken, fresh vegetables, and a special gravy recipe created by the Queen herself.

Their meals were served on silver and porcelain dishes, delivered by a footman on a silver tray, and the Queen personally fed them in a semi-circle, following a strict order of seniority.

The corgis had their own spacious room at the palace, complete with elevated wicker beds and fresh sheets changed daily, a tradition started by the Queen Mother.

The Queen's dogs were never fed tinned food and received homeopathic remedies when they were unwell, reflecting the meticulous care given to their well-being.

The Queen's corgis often traveled with her, whether in cars, at airports, or on flights, and were seen accompanying her to Balmoral estate in the Scottish Highlands.

Candy, one of the Queen's corgis, was an experienced traveler and even kept an eye on younger pups during a flight to Balmoral in August 2021.

The Queen frequently took long walks with her dogs in Home Park, underscoring their integral role in her daily life.

The Queen's love for corgis was celebrated during her Platinum Jubilee, with the sky above Buckingham Palace illuminated with images of the breed.

In 2022, the annual Tour de Corgi parade in Colorado introduced a 'Queen Elizabeth and her corgis' costume competition to honor the late monarch.

The Queen's corgis, Sandy and Muick, were present at her deathbed and made a poignant appearance at her funeral, waiting in the quadrangle at Windsor as her coffin passed.

Queen Elizabeth II is credited with boosting the popularity of corgis, transforming them from a vulnerable breed in 2014 to one of the UK's most beloved breeds today.

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi, the Queen's chosen breed, has become a symbol of British royalty due to its long-standing association with her.

Following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and her passing, the number of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with the Kennel Club reached a 30-year high.

The word 'Corgi' is Welsh for 'Dwarf Dog,' and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales, as a cattle herding breed.

This breed can be traced back as far as 1107 AD, brought to Wales by Flemish weavers, and was officially recognized as a native British breed by The Kennel Club in 1928.

The Queen's corgi Muick was named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral Estate, reflecting her personal connection to her pets and her surroundings.

Sandy, another of the Queen's corgis, was a 95th birthday gift from Prince Andrew and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

The Queen also created 'dorgis' by crossbreeding her corgis with her sister Margaret's Dachshund, Pipkin, showcasing her playful approach to pet breeding.

At the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth had two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a Dorgi, and a Cocker Spaniel named Lissy, highlighting her enduring love for dogs.

The Queen reportedly stopped breeding corgis in 2018, as she did not want to leave any behind after her passing.

The Queen's fondness for corgis was attributed to their 'energy and untamed spirit,' which resonated with her own personality.

Angela Kelly, one of the Queen's closest aides, described the corgis as bringing smiles to everyone's faces and being a source of great fun for the Queen.

The Queen's corgis were reportedly off limits for discipline, allowed to roam freely, and even cock their legs on antique furniture and priceless carpets.

Queen Elizabeth II had a lifelong affection for corgis, famously declaring, 'My corgis are family.'

Title:

Content: Sunday, Sep 11, 2022

Annual ‘Tour de Corgi’ event to include new ‘Queen Elizabeth’ costume category to honour the monarch

“We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover," Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying

Queen Elizabeth II is seen walking in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, in England, on steps at the rear of the East Terrace and East Garden with four of her dogs: clockwise from top left Willow (corgi), Vulcan (dorgie), Candy (dorgie) and Holly (AP/PTI)

As a tribute to the late UK monarch Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away at the age of 96 at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on September 8, after reigning for 70 long years, the Tour de Corgi parade — an annual event that celebrates the dog breed corgi — will include a new element this year that is likely to make fans of the British royal family and corgi lovers happy.

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It is no secret that the queen was extremely fond of dogs, especially corgis, from a very early age, and that she had been breeding them until 2018, when she finally realised that she may have to leave some of them behind after her death.

According to Country Living, the queen had four dogs at the time of her death: two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a Dorgi (Corgi-Dachshund mix), and a Cocker Spaniel named Lissy, who joined the family only this year, in January 2022.

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In her lifetime, she reportedly bred 14 generations of corgis, and even famously declared: “My corgis are family.”

According to an Independent report, Queen Elizabeth‘s love for her four-legged friends was well-documented during this year’s platinum jubilee celebrations in the UK, when the sky above Buckingham Palace was lit up with images of the dog breed.

The publication mentioned that the Tour de Corgi parade this year — which has been taking place in Fort Collins, Colorado since 2014 — will include a “Queen Elizabeth and her corgis” costume competition, in “memorium and to honour her”, quoting the event’s organisers who shared this with a local newspaper ‘The Coloradoan‘.

This is a May 12, 1973 file photo of Queen Elizabeth II sitting with her corgis, at Virginia Water to watch competitors, including Prince Philip in the Marathon of the European Driving Championship, part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Tour de Corgi founder Tracy Stewart was quoted as saying, “We all have a very strong affection for her as a fellow corgi lover. I think it is just, you know, our dogs are such a big part of our hearts that it creates a very heartfelt connection.”

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The aforementioned event will take place on October 1, 2022, and will conclude with a corgi parade through the town.

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According to a Reader’s Digest report, the queen was fond of corgis because of their “energy and untamed spirit”, and the fact that her parents welcomed the family’s first corgi, Dookie, in 1933. Eleven years later, in 1944, the queen’s father gifted her a corgi named Susan for her 18th birthday. The pupper even accompanied her on her honeymoon, and gave birth to a pair of puppies in 1949, which reportedly marked the beginning of the royal line of corgis.

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First published on: 11-09-2022 at 07:10:45 pm
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Her bond with the breed began in 1933 when her father, King George VI, brought home a corgi named Dookie, marking the start of the royal family's enduring connection to corgis.

For her 18th birthday in 1944, the Queen was gifted a corgi named Susan, who not only accompanied her on her honeymoon but also became the matriarch of the royal line of corgis.

Over the course of her life, Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis, many of whom were descendants of Susan, as she bred 14 generations of the breed.

The Queen's corgis were a constant presence during her reign, symbolizing her deep personal connection to the breed.

Title:

Content: It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth is a huge dog lover, so it comes as no surprise that her pet pooches live very lavish lifestyles.

Her Majesty, 95, has taken care of numerous dogs throughout her 70-year reign, and she is currently the owner of two corgis, a dorgi called Candy, and a cocker spaniel named Lissy.

The Queen's pet corgis have been a constant throughout her time on the throne, and it's believed that she's had around 30 dogs throughout her lifetime.

Like any other dog owner, the Queen wants the very best for her pet pooches and that includes a tailored menu, special travel arrangements, and a specific feeding ritual.

Here we take a peek into the lives of Her Majesty's pampered pooches...

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Tailored menu

It's no secret that members of the royal household have their own weekly menus and that also includes the Queen's pet dogs, too.

Her Majesty is very particular about what her pet dogs eat and she reportedly insists that they have their own personal menus.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady revealed what the pooches' diet entails, saying: "The corgis have their own menu. One day they'll have lamb, one day beef and then another, chicken."

He also added: "We had to make sure that all the meat was cut very finely and diced so there were no bones because we couldn't have them choking."

The Queen has also created her own special gravy recipe, specifically for her beloved pups.

In the book All The Queen's Corgis, author Penny Junor explained the dogs' diets consists of a "variety of fresh, cooked meat, vegetables and rice, prepared specially for them in the royal kitchens, topped with a little biscuit, homoeopathic and herbal remedies when required, and a special gravy that, legend has it, is the Queen's own recipe".

Feeding routine

It's not just their meals which are specially prepared, as the dogs also have a strict feeding ritual.

Animal psychologist Dr Roger Mugford previously worked for Her Majesty, and has opened up about the pooches meal times at Buckingham Palace.

Speaking to Town and Country magazine, he said: "Their food was served by a butler in an eclectic collection of battered silver and porcelain dishes.

"As I watched, the Queen got the corgis to sit in a semi-circle around her, and then fed them one by one, in order of seniority. The others just sat and patiently waited their turn."

Author Penny Junor also wrote in her book, All The Queen's Corgis: "Whenever possible, she [the Queen] feeds them herself and it is an afternoon ritual; but not an unruly frantic free-for-all.

"A footman brings the food and bowls on a silver tray and lays out a plastic sheet to protect the carpet.

"The Queen then sits them in a semi-circle around her and does the rest."

Travelling

The Queen regularly has to travel, but her beloved pooches are never left behind.

She ensures they also travel in style, with previous photographs showing her pets sitting on her lap while travelling in the car.

Her dogs have also been spotted at airports with her, and were once seen at Aberdeen Airport preparing to head off to the Balmoral estate, located in the Scottish Highlands.

Sleeping arrangements

As well as tailored menus and lavish travel arrangements, the Queen's pet dogs also have their very own quarters at the palace.

The dogs reportedly have their own spacious room where they sleep in luxurious raised wicker beds.

And that's not all, as their beds also have fresh sheets put on them daily – a tradition which was first started by the Queen Mother.

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The royal corgis were treated to a life of luxury, enjoying meals prepared by top chefs that included lamb, beef, chicken, fresh vegetables, and a special gravy recipe created by the Queen herself.

Their meals were served on silver and porcelain dishes, delivered by a footman on a silver tray, and the Queen personally fed them in a semi-circle, following a strict order of seniority.

The corgis had their own spacious room at the palace, complete with elevated wicker beds and fresh sheets changed daily, a tradition started by the Queen Mother.

The Queen's dogs were never fed tinned food and received homeopathic remedies when they were unwell, reflecting the meticulous care given to their well-being.

Title:

Content: Throughout her life, the Queen has made no secret of her love for her corgis and dorgis. The monarch has often been seen alongside her furry friends, and it is thought that she has looked after more than 30 of the dogs over the years.

As you can imagine, the Queen’s beloved pets have been treated to lives of pure luxury, with their meals more extravagant than most. The pampered pooches obviously couldn't just eat any old normal dog food, but instead are said to feast on the best ingredients produced by top chefs.

The corgis' diet is thought to be made up of luxurious meals such as fillet steaks and chicken breast. Royal biographer Brian Hoey revealed the details of the corgi’s luxurious diet in his book Pets by Royal Appointment.

READ MORE: Prince George's incredibly normal hobby that could see him play against members of the public and they won't even know

The biographer also revealed how the carefully prepared meals are delivered by a footman and then covered in gravy that is poured by the Queen herself. The pampered pets are also reportedly off limits when it comes to discipline. Brian wrote in his book that nobody is allowed to raise a finger or a voice to any of the dogs.

He claimed they cock their legs and do what corgis do wherever they want — on antique furniture, priceless carpets. They are also said to have their own room and they are allowed to wander around freely. According to Mail Online, the dogs never eaten tinned food and have even been given homeopathic remedies when they get sick.

The monarch’s close relationship with the corgi breed of dog goes back to 1933 when her father brought home a corgi that would later be named Dookie. When she was younger the Queen also had a corgi called Susan, who was gifted to her in 1944 for her 18th birthday, and quickly became a close companion.

Many of the Queen’s later corgis are said to be descendants of Susan, as the Queen continued to breed the line of dogs over fifty years. She even went on to create a number of 'dorgis', after cross breeding one of her dogs with Margaret's Dachshund, Pipkin.

Last year the Queen welcomed two new dorgis, one called Fergus and one called Muick, but the former sadly died from a heart defect in May. In June 2021, Prince Andrew and daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie gave the Queen a new puppy, named Sandy, on what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday.

According to Hello!, one of the Queen's closest aides, Angela Kelly, has told how the pets "always brought a smile to everyone's faces" in a new chapter for her book The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe. She said: "I was worried they would get under The Queen's feet, but they have turned out to be a godsend. They are beautiful and great fun and The Queen often takes long walks with them in Home Park."

Angela revealed that the dogs accompanied the Queen on a flight to Balmoral in August 2021. She told: "They were very well behaved, with Louis the footman on hand. Candy, who is an old hand at flying – she must have been on hundreds of flights in her lifetime – ambled about and kept her eye on the young pups. The puppies stayed close to The Queen but occasionally sniffed around your feet as they hoped for a nibble of something tasty from our lunch."

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The Queen's corgis often traveled with her, whether in cars, at airports, or on flights, and were seen accompanying her to Balmoral estate in the Scottish Highlands.

Candy, one of the Queen's corgis, was an experienced traveler and even kept an eye on younger pups during a flight to Balmoral in August 2021.

The Queen frequently took long walks with her dogs in Home Park, underscoring their integral role in her daily life.

The Queen's love for corgis was celebrated during her Platinum Jubilee, with the sky above Buckingham Palace illuminated with images of the breed.

In 2022, the annual Tour de Corgi parade in Colorado introduced a 'Queen Elizabeth and her corgis' costume competition to honor the late monarch.

The Queen's corgis, Sandy and Muick, were present at her deathbed and made a poignant appearance at her funeral, waiting in the quadrangle at Windsor as her coffin passed.

Title:

Content: King Charles Spaniel numbers are declining and the breed is on the Kennel Club's 'vulnerable list' - amid Corgi boom following Queen Elizabeth's death

  • Corgis have seen boom in popularity after Platinum Jubilee and death of Queen
  • Number of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with Kennel Club hit 30-year peak
  • But popularity of King Charles Spaniels is continuing to decline, hitting a low
  • Lovers of the breed are hoping sharing name with new King will boost the dogs

Interest in Corgis has boomed following the Platinum Jubilee and the death of Queen Elizabeth, according to the Kennel Club.

Numbers of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with the organisation have reached a 30-year high, the Times reports.

Conversely, King Charles Spaniels are continuing to see a decline in their popularity, with lovers of the breed reportedly hoping that sharing a moniker with the new monarch may give the dogs a boost (though the new king prefers Jack Russells).

The breed, which is on the Kennel Club's vulnerable list, hit a low in 2020, with just 56 registrations. This increased to 91 in 2021, but numbers so far this year are so low, it is likely to drop beneath 2020.

The number of Corgis registered with the Kennel Club has reached a 30-year high, with interest growing following the death of the Queen (pictured here in 1980 with three of the dogs)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (as pictured) are doing well in terms of popularity, although their close relative the King Charles Spaniel (not pictured) is seeing a decline

However, it notes that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the original breed from which King Charles diverged in the middle of the century, is doing well, with 3,772 registrations last year.

The original Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog breed was developed from toy spaniels. Popular as women's pets, they were also beloved of King Charles II, who was said to be so fond of his spaniels, he could not be parted from them.

Although Corgis were on the Kennel Club's vulnerable list in 2014, they are now one ofthe UK's most popular breeds, and the Queen is credited with boosting their popularity (pictured: Queen Elizabeth with one of her beloved corgis, Candy)

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has become known as a symbol of British royalty thanks to its long-standing association with the Queen

Lovers of the ailing King Charles Spaniel may look to the influence the Queen had in turning around the fortune of corgis in recent decades.

The breed was listed as 'vulnerable' in 2014, and the Kennel Club credits Her Majesty's love of the dogs as the major factor in making them one of the UK's most popular breeds today.

Corgis, which have four short legs, a long snout and two huge pointed ears, are famous for being a symbol of British royalty.

HISTORY OF THE CORGI BREED

The word 'Corgi' is Welsh for 'Dwarf Dog', and there are two types; the Pembroke, which is the Queen's breed, and the Cardigan Corgi, a descendent Teckel family of dogs, which also produced the Dachshund

Pembroke Welsh Corgis originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales from the Spitz family of dogs which are characterised by long, thick fur and pointed ears and muzzle

Corgis are a cattle herding breed that can be traced back as far as 1107 AD, thought to have been brought to Wales by  Flemish weavers

They are the type of herding dog referred to as 'heelers', meaning that they would nip at the heels of cattle to keep them moving

The combination of their low height off the ground and the innate agility of Welsh Corgis would allow them to avoid the hooves of the larger animals

They were officially recognised as a native British breed by The Kennel Club in 1928, but Cardigans and Pembrokes weren't seen as separate breeds until 1934

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The Queen owned more than 30 of the sandy, short-legged dogs throughout her reign.

She was gifted her first corgi, called Susan, for her 18th birthday from her late father King George VI. Ten generations of her corgis then descended from Susan.

Her dogs were given the Royal treatment having their own rooms with elevated wicker baskets and meals of beef, chick, rabbit, liver, cabbage and rice being prepared by a chef each evening.

Sometimes the Queen herself made the dog's meals. But her late husband was said to have 'loathed' the dogs' yapping.

She left behind two dogs - Sandy and Muick - who are now cared for by Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York at their Royal Lodge home.

Muick, pronounced Mick, joined the royal family at the start of 2021 along with a so-called 'dorgi', a cross between a corgi and a dachshund, called Fergus.

Fergus, who had been named after the Monarch's uncle who was killed during battle in the First World War, died after just five months.

He was later replaced with a new corgi called Sandy, as a 95th birthday present from Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Meanwhile Muick was named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral Estate.

Palace sources speaking to the Daily Mail previously revealed the beloved corgis were 'with [the Queen] in the room' at her deathbed when she died on September 8 at Balmoral.

They then touched people's hearts when they made a poignant appearance at Her Majesty's funeral on September 19.

As the late monarch's coffin made its way from London to its final resting place in Windsor, Muick and Sandy waited for the processional to pass, to see the Queen for one last time.

The dogs were seen waiting in the quadrangle with two aides before the late monarch was laid to rest in St George's Chapel.

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King Charles Spaniel numbers declining amid Corgi boom following Queen Elizabeth's death

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Queen Elizabeth II is credited with boosting the popularity of corgis, transforming them from a vulnerable breed in 2014 to one of the UK's most beloved breeds today.

The Pembroke Welsh Corgi, the Queen's chosen breed, has become a symbol of British royalty due to its long-standing association with her.

Following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and her passing, the number of Pembroke Welsh Corgis registered with the Kennel Club reached a 30-year high.

The word 'Corgi' is Welsh for 'Dwarf Dog,' and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales, as a cattle herding breed.

This breed can be traced back as far as 1107 AD, brought to Wales by Flemish weavers, and was officially recognized as a native British breed by The Kennel Club in 1928.

The Queen's corgi Muick was named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral Estate, reflecting her personal connection to her pets and her surroundings.

Sandy, another of the Queen's corgis, was a 95th birthday gift from Prince Andrew and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

The Queen also created 'dorgis' by crossbreeding her corgis with her sister Margaret's Dachshund, Pipkin, showcasing her playful approach to pet breeding.

At the time of her death, Queen Elizabeth had two Pembroke Welsh Corgis, a Dorgi, and a Cocker Spaniel named Lissy, highlighting her enduring love for dogs.

The Queen reportedly stopped breeding corgis in 2018, as she did not want to leave any behind after her passing.

The Queen's fondness for corgis was attributed to their 'energy and untamed spirit,' which resonated with her own personality.

Angela Kelly, one of the Queen's closest aides, described the corgis as bringing smiles to everyone's faces and being a source of great fun for the Queen.

The Queen's corgis were reportedly off limits for discipline, allowed to roam freely, and even cock their legs on antique furniture and priceless carpets.


Germany's nuclear energy journey began in 1957 with the operation of its first reactor, symbolizing post-war recovery, but public opposition grew over concerns about nuclear waste storage and safety, especially after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 marked a pivotal moment, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel to accelerate Germany's nuclear phaseout, with the final reactors shut down by April 2023.

Germany's decision to phase out nuclear energy was driven by its commitment to carbon neutrality, but critics argue this move increases reliance on coal and poses challenges for renewable energy ramp-up.

The Russian-Ukrainian war exposed Germany's dependence on Russian natural gas, which previously accounted for over 50% of its supply, forcing urgent adjustments to its energy mix.

Public opinion shifted after the war, with a 2022 poll showing 67% of Germans supporting a five-year extension of nuclear plants and 41% favoring the construction of new reactors.

Despite this shift, the Green Party, a key coalition partner, resisted calls to extend nuclear operations, agreeing only to temporary delays during the winter energy crisis.

Germany's energy market faces challenges as nuclear energy accounted for 10% of electricity production, and natural gas is now a critical bridge in its green transition plan.

Maintaining nuclear plants would require overcoming significant technical and administrative barriers, according to energy company RWE, complicating any potential reversal of the phaseout.

Germany's stance contrasts with France, where nuclear power dominates the energy mix and supports Germany's needs, highlighting differing approaches within Europe.

Anti-nuclear activists celebrated the shutdown of Germany's reactors as a victory, reflecting decades of protests and opposition to atomic energy.

Germany's nuclear energy journey began in 1957 with the operation of its first reactor, symbolizing post-war recovery, but public opposition grew over concerns about nuclear waste storage and safety, especially after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

Title:

Content: Read the history of the moment: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power? | German News | DW | 14.04.2023
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German News
Read the history of the present: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power?
Germany was proud of its nuclear power generation technology, but at the same time the technology has been so controversial that it has finally decided that April 15, 2023 is the date of withdrawal from nuclear power.
However, as the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war continues to intensify, the wisdom of the decision to say goodbye to nuclear energy has been widely discussed.
Germany ’ s nuclear policy is in dispute again
It all started with an "egg" - Germany's first nuclear reactor in Garching, near Munich, went into operation in October 1957.
Because the nuclear reactor, which belongs to the University of Munich, resembles an egg, it is nicknamed the "atomic egg".
It was a milestone in Germany's nuclear energy research and a symbol of Germany's resurgence after World War II.
The nuclear reactor, which was used for scientific purposes, remained in operation until 2000.
In 1957, Germany built its first nuclear reactor.
Three years later, in 1960, the first nuclear power plant for civilian use was built in the city of Kahl, on the banks of the Main River in Bavaria.
At that time, atomic energy was widely regarded as both safe and reliable. The 1973 oil crisis gave further impetus to the rapid development of nuclear energy in Germany.
The start of the anti-nuclear movement
Since it has been impossible to find a foolproof way to store nuclear waste, opponents have begun to question whether nuclear energy is really a clean energy source.
Thousands of protesters clashed with police during the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Shihe.
Since the 1970s, plans for the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant have triggered numerous police and civil conflicts.
"Nuclear energy? No, thank you!" has become a rallying cry for environmentalists.
In the 1980s, a new political party, the Green Party, emerged in West Germany. Its members are mainly leftists, pacifists, environmentalists and anti-nuclear forces. In 1983, the Green Party entered the Bundestag.
In 1983, Green Party politicians Gert Bastian and Petra Kelly were elected to the Bundestag.
On March 28, 1979, a serious accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, United States. On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union, exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Radiation clouds spread throughout Europe.
The accident also marked a turning point in discussions about nuclear technology in Germany.
At the time, Germany was still divided.
In East Germany under the Communist Party, the public received almost no information about the nuclear accident and its effects.
West Germany, on the other hand, was in a state of confusion and politicians were helpless.
People were unprepared for a nuclear leak, and the government was unable to provide guidelines and response strategies for the time being.
A hastily formed crisis management team was also disbanded shortly afterwards.
The Chernobyl nuclear accident has caused widespread concern in Germany.
People are buying iodine.
A large quantity of fruit, vegetables and milk in the supermarket was ordered to be removed from the shelves because of concerns about nuclear radiation.
Children were banned from playing in the sand pools and citizens were warned not to go out in the rain.
Although the health effects of radiation were not detected in Germany, the accident led to the introduction of nationwide radiation monitoring in Germany, which eventually led to the establishment of the Federal Ministry of the Environment.
Plans to build a nuclear waste treatment plant in the Bavarian town of Wackersdorf have sparked serious riots.
The clashes left several protesters and civil servants dead and hundreds injured.
The project was finally halted in 1989, the first major victory of the German environmental movement.
And...
In 2011, protesters handcuffed themselves to the tracks in an attempt to block trains carrying nuclear waste.
Meanwhile, in northern Germany, Gorleben in Lower Saxony became a symbol of the struggle against nuclear waste, and the town was designated to temporarily store nuclear waste until a permanent storage site was identified.
The first shipment of nuclear waste arrived in the town on 24 April 1995.
A long farewell to nuclear power - Germany's nuclear withdrawal process after many setbacks
In 2001, Schroeder's center-left coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party reached an agreement with major energy companies to phase out nuclear power.
All 19 nuclear power plants in Germany have been given operating timelines and the last one is required to be shut down by 2021.
In 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced that Germany would phase out nuclear power generation.
In 2010, the center-right government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel withdrew the nuclear withdrawal agreement.
It also decided to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants.
However, the third major nuclear accident in the world has caused a change in Germany's nuclear energy policy. On March 11, 2011, the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
The impact of the accident on Germany is even greater than that of Japan.
As a veteran physicist, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly changed her usual stance on nuclear energy policy.
Merkel suddenly announced that the era of nuclear power in Germany will end by the end of 2022. On July 30, 2011, the German Bundestag voted to approve the resolution.
After years of fierce fighting, the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Ishih will finally become history in 2021 after 35 years of operation.
In 2017, Germany decided to start a nationwide search for a safe place to store highly radioactive nuclear waste, with the mission to be completed by 2031.
At the end of 2021, anti-nuclear activists celebrated the closure of a nuclear power plant in North Germany.
Rethinking the nuclear policy.
The war in Ukraine has made Germany anxious to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, which has also reignited the already ironclad policy of denuclearization.
The coalition leader has spearheaded a proposal to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants to replace natural gas from Russia with nuclear power.
In August 2022, CDU Chairman Meltz and CSU Chairman Soder both put forward the idea of extending the time limit for nuclear power operations.
Christian Lindner, finance minister of the business-oriented Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), immediately backed a return to nuclear power.
His party is junior partner in a centre-left coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens.
The latter will find it difficult to agree to an extension because opposition to nuclear power is one of their core issues.
But in the summer of 2022, no one in Germany completely ruled out that possibility.
LDP finance minister Lindner, who is focused on business interests, was also quick to join the pro-nuclear camp.
But for the Green Party, which is also part of the ruling coalition, the possibility of agreeing to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants is slim, because opposition to nuclear power is their basic principle.
Anything is possible in Germany in 2022.
Can nuclear power be a climate savior?
Editor: This article was originally published in August 2022
© 2022 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.
DW.COM

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 marked a pivotal moment, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel to accelerate Germany's nuclear phaseout, with the final reactors shut down by April 2023.

Title:

Content: “There is no excuse for the rich West to be oblivious to the global debt crisis. ” – The Guardian
We start with an opinion piece by Larry Elliott, the Guardian ’ s economic editor, entitled “The wealthy West has little excuse for finally waking up to the global debt crisis. ”
“After a decade or more of their obsession with their own problems, countries in the wealthy West have begun to pay attention to the threat of a looming debt crisis in the poorer parts of the world, ” he says at a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington this week.
The good news is that debt has risen to the highest level on the policy agenda and is seen as a problem that needs to be regulated, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said about the need for distressed countries to help: “Help them deal with the debt burden, which has made the shocks of past years more difficult; and help ensure that the IMF can continue to support them in the years to come. ”
The bad news, according to Elliott, is that Georgieva ’ s appeal has not yet been heeded, as rich countries are still primarily interested in their own problems.
The geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China is also not helping.
Creditor countries may wake up to the idea that there is a debt problem but it is far from a solution.
Talk is not like work. ”
Achim Steiner, director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said: “There are more than 50 countries on his radar that can default very quickly. ”
Steiner believes that the UN has no chance of meeting its ambitious 2030 development goals, unless there is urgent action.
The volume of lending by the private sector has made attempts to restructure or write off debt more complex than in the past.
At the time of the HIPC initiative, creditors tended to be either individual governments or multilateral organizations such as the World Bank.
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“But since the global financial crisis, many countries, especially middle-income countries, have borrowed heavily in financial markets, taking advantage of very low interest rates to finance domestic projects. ”
After the setback of the COVID-19 epidemic, low- and middle-income countries have since been hit by two other undesirable shocks: the war in Ukraine, which led to higher food and fuel prices, and the sharp increase in central bank interest rates in large Western economies.
The result is that debt servicing has become much more expensive, with many countries now frozen out of financial markets altogether.
Steiner said: "The issue is not financial but political.
The United States has mobilized $400 billion to secure Silicon Valley Bank deposits.
This is more than the developing world has received in three years.
It took the Swiss government less than 48 hours to find 100 billion Swiss francs to secure the rescue of one of its banks.
“The lesson of the recent banking crises is clear.
Rich countries can act fast enough when they want to, ” the writer concludes.
Fears of Macron ’ s politics
We turn to another Financial Times opinion piece by Alain Beatty, a trade writer, entitled “The Risks of Emmanuel Macron ’ s Strategic Insistence. ”
Macron ’ s focus on keeping a distance from both Washington and Beijing in pursuit of the EU ’ s vague “strategic autonomy ” is not an innovation among European policymakers, but geopolitical Europe enthusiasts need to recognize that the lack of unity and trust within the EU, rather than the sinister manipulation by Washington and Beijing, is the main obstacle.
“We ’ ve already seen this happen in trade policy, which is one area where the EU has long had the ability to act collectively.
In the same way that there is nothing stopping European governments from increasing military spending and playing a greater geopolitical role, the bloc can certainly increase its ability to use trade to project its strategic influence.
But while France has been keen to create new tools for intervening in trade and investment, other member states recognize that the views and interests of Paris are not necessarily those of the bloc as a whole.
“In recent years, the European Commission has carefully designed a range of trade instruments to confirm the bloc ’ s geo-economic weight.
The most politically salient is the anti-coercion tool ECI, which will allow the EU to use a wide range of trade and investment measures to retaliate against the bullying of trading partners.
France has strongly supported all this activity, and has also called for the creation of new EU central funds to pursue industrial policy.
“But the Commission will struggle to use this set of tools if there is opposition from other member states that are mindful of their export interests or distrust in using trade tools to manage a centralized strategic policy.
A few days before Macron ’ s trip, the Commission succumbed to pressure from some EU governments, including Germany, and gave member states a major role in determining the use of ECI.
Berlin instinctively avoids confrontation that could damage German exports and investments abroad.
There have also been more principled objections from liberal member states including Sweden and the Czech Republic, sceptical of attempts to politicize trade policy and the likelihood that it will be overly influenced by certain governments.
Macron inadvertently contributed to these concerns, especially as he unnerved some other EU governments two years ago with a clear orientation toward a major investment deal with China, “leaving a legacy of caution. ”
“Attempting to push a union with divergent views to adopt a single approach to a specific global issue is unlikely to produce long-term results. ”
German split on energy policy
We remain with an article by Laura Bettel, the Financial Times correspondent in Berlin, entitled “Germany is being torn apart by energy policy with the closure of nuclear plants. ”
Bethel said Germany ’ s last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down on Saturday, “marking a watershed moment in a country that has long had deep doubts about atomic energy. ”
Anti-nuclear activists hailed the shutdown of three reactors as a victory after a temporary delay following the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war that forced Berlin to look for alternatives to Russian gas.
Critics see the shutdown as an act of madness at a time when Europe ’ s energy supply remains precarious and the world is struggling to stop using fossil fuels.
After decades of anti-nuclear protests, the decisive moment came in 2011 when Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an earlier decision to extend the life of the country ’ s nuclear plants until 2036, bringing the phase-out date to 2022.
The anti-nuclear movement in former West Germany dates back to the 1970s, when a popular campaign succeeded in stopping the construction of a nuclear power plant in the southwestern village of Weil.
The nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island in the United States in 1979 and at Chernobyl in 1986 fuelled that movement.
But German public opinion shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War: an August 2022 poll from Der Spiegel found that 67 percent of Germans supported a five-year extension of the country ’ s nuclear plants.
41% supported the construction of new plants.
In a similar poll three decades ago, only 3% said yes.
But the German Green Party, now part of the three-way coalition government led by Olaf Schulz, only agreed to postpone the shutdown for a few months to fill any gap caused by the winter energy crisis.
“The way in which Germany has chosen to phase out nuclear power, and step back from fossil fuels as a bridging gap even as renewables increase dramatically, has been highly controversial. ”

Germany's decision to phase out nuclear energy was driven by its commitment to carbon neutrality, but critics argue this move increases reliance on coal and poses challenges for renewable energy ramp-up.

Title:

Content: Three nuclear-fired power plants will be taken off the grid in Germany on Friday as part of the country's plan to end atomic power.

"The nuclear phaseout makes our country safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste," said Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke.

"It is now essential to ... advance the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste as well as permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste," the environment ministry said.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel speeded up the phaseout following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

Friday's shutdown affects power plants in Brokdorf in Schleswig-Holstein, Grohnde in Lower Saxony and Gundremmingen C in Bavaria.

Germany's remaining three nuclear plants — Emsland in Lower Saxony, Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — will be closed by the end of 2022 "at the latest," the environment ministry said.

"Since 2011, Germany has been drawing a line under a highly problematic technology in an orderly, reliable process," Lemke said.

Nuclear accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production. The shutdown has sparked criticism as Germany will have to dramatically ramp up renewable energy and has also increased its reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power.

"Security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed," said Robert Habeck, federal climate and economy minister. He added that reliable and "sustainably generated electricity" is a "central requirement for aligning our economy and industry toward climate neutrality."

That stance puts Berlin at loggerheads with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix (and also helps supply Germany).

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in September that existing nuclear plants, which provide low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition, can be kept running "for two, five, 10 years," adding: "Why deprive ourselves of this production capacity?"

France is planning to scale down the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035, but President Emmanuel Macron said in November that France "will restart the construction of nuclear reactors" while "continuing to develop renewable energies."

Macron also said France will invest €1 billion into research and development, notably into small modular reactors.

Belgium recently decided to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2025, but plans to invest €100 million in new generation nuclear reactors and research.

More from ... Louise Guillot

The Russian-Ukrainian war exposed Germany's dependence on Russian natural gas, which previously accounted for over 50% of its supply, forcing urgent adjustments to its energy mix.

Title:

Content: Russia, Ukraine under international sanctions to reduce dependence on Moscow for natural gas supply
BERLIN (AFP) – Moscow ’ s invasion of Ukraine highlights Germany ’ s dependence on Russian gas, forcing Europe ’ s largest economy to urgently adjust its domestic energy mix.
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"We have to change course to overcome our dependence on imports," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag on the Ukraine crisis.
With Russia increasingly isolated from the rest of the world as a result of sanctions imposed on the Ukrainian economy, Berlin can no longer rely on Moscow to supply more than 50% of Germany ’ s natural gas.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Monday that energy supplies were still mostly exempt from Western sanctions, but that policymakers still had to respond to Russia ’ s decision to stop gas supplies.
A coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Liberal Democrats (FDP) came to power in December last year, with the new government pledging to withdraw coal-fired power by 2030, but upholding former Prime Minister Angela Merkel ’ s decision to let nuclear power out of service by the end of 2022.
But in Germany ’ s green energy transition plan, natural gas plays a critical and excessive role, providing existing energy supplies before wind and solar power are in place.
Robert Habeck, Germany ’ s economy and climate minister, recently said, “In the short term, we may have to leave coal-fired power in reserve. ”
Green ministers also did not rule out delaying the decommissioning of Germany ’ s last three nuclear power plants.
However, the German government faces significant challenges in pursuing the nuclear option.
“You can ’ t delay the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant after you decide to shut it down, ” says Karen Pittel, an energy expert at the think tank IFO.
Power company RWE told the German daily Handelsblatt that maintaining nuclear power plants in operation would face “extremely high barriers ”“ on a technical and administrative level. ”
(Translator: Liu Shuqin / Review: Chen Chengyi)

Public opinion shifted after the war, with a 2022 poll showing 67% of Germans supporting a five-year extension of nuclear plants and 41% favoring the construction of new reactors.

Despite this shift, the Green Party, a key coalition partner, resisted calls to extend nuclear operations, agreeing only to temporary delays during the winter energy crisis.

Germany's energy market faces challenges as nuclear energy accounted for 10% of electricity production, and natural gas is now a critical bridge in its green transition plan.

Maintaining nuclear plants would require overcoming significant technical and administrative barriers, according to energy company RWE, complicating any potential reversal of the phaseout.

Germany's stance contrasts with France, where nuclear power dominates the energy mix and supports Germany's needs, highlighting differing approaches within Europe.

Anti-nuclear activists celebrated the shutdown of Germany's reactors as a victory, reflecting decades of protests and opposition to atomic energy.


Germany's first nuclear reactor, nicknamed the 'atomic egg,' began operation in 1957 and symbolized the country's post-war resurgence.

The 1973 oil crisis accelerated the development of nuclear energy in Germany, as atomic energy was seen as a safe and reliable alternative to fossil fuels at the time.

However, opposition to nuclear energy in Germany grew over the years due to concerns about the inability to safely store nuclear waste, leading to protests and clashes during the construction of nuclear facilities.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 marked a turning point in Germany's nuclear policy, sparking widespread public concern and the establishment of nationwide radiation monitoring systems.

Germany's anti-nuclear movement achieved a major victory in 1989 when plans for a nuclear waste treatment plant in Wackersdorf were halted after serious riots and casualties.

The anti-nuclear movement in Germany dates back to the 1970s, fueled by nuclear accidents such as Three Mile Island in 1979 and Chernobyl in 1986.

In 2001, Germany's center-left coalition government agreed to phase out nuclear power, setting timelines for the closure of all nuclear plants by 2021.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted Chancellor Angela Merkel to reverse her stance and announce the end of nuclear power in Germany by 2022.

Germany is shutting down three nuclear power plants as part of its plan to end atomic power, with the remaining three plants scheduled to close by the end of 2022 at the latest.

The nuclear phaseout in Germany was accelerated by former Chancellor Angela Merkel following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

The decisive moment for Germany's nuclear phase-out came in 2011 when Chancellor Angela Merkel accelerated the timeline for closure following the Fukushima disaster.

Germany officially withdrew from nuclear power on April 15, 2023, amid ongoing debates about the wisdom of this decision during the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The war in Ukraine has reignited debates about Germany's denuclearization policy, as the country seeks to reduce its energy dependence on Russian natural gas.

Germany's dependence on Russian gas was highlighted by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, forcing the country to urgently adjust its domestic energy mix.

More than 50% of Germany's natural gas supply previously came from Russia, but sanctions and geopolitical tensions have disrupted this reliance.

Critics argue that the nuclear shutdown will increase Germany's reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power and require a dramatic ramp-up in renewable energy.

Critics argue that the shutdown is reckless, especially given Europe's precarious energy supply and global efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Germany's approach to phasing out nuclear power while transitioning away from fossil fuels has been highly controversial.

In 2022, leaders from the CDU, CSU, and FDP proposed extending the operating time of nuclear power plants to address energy shortages, but faced resistance from the Green Party, a coalition partner staunchly opposed to nuclear energy.

Public opinion in Germany shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War, with an August 2022 poll showing 67% of Germans supporting a five-year extension of nuclear plants and 41% favoring the construction of new ones.

The German Green Party, part of the coalition government, only agreed to a temporary delay in the shutdown to address the winter energy crisis.

Nuclear energy currently accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production.

Germany's coalition government pledged to withdraw coal-fired power by 2030 while upholding the decision to phase out nuclear power by the end of 2022.

Natural gas plays a critical role in Germany's green energy transition plan, serving as a bridge until wind and solar power are fully implemented.

Green ministers in Germany have not ruled out delaying the decommissioning of the country's last three nuclear power plants.

Maintaining nuclear power plants in operation would face extremely high technical and administrative barriers, according to power company RWE.

Germany's last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down, marking a significant moment in a country with longstanding doubts about atomic energy.

Germany's stance on nuclear energy contrasts with France, where nuclear power is the largest element of its energy mix and supports Germany's energy needs.

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has argued that existing nuclear plants provide low-carbon electricity essential for the green transition and could remain operational for several more years.

France plans to reduce the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035 but will also restart the construction of nuclear reactors and invest €1 billion in research and development.

Anti-nuclear activists celebrated the shutdown of the reactors as a victory, following decades of protests and opposition to nuclear energy.

Germany's first nuclear reactor, nicknamed the 'atomic egg,' began operation in 1957 and symbolized the country's post-war resurgence.

Title:

Content: Read the history of the moment: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power? | German News | DW | 14.04.2023
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Read the history of the present: why is Germany so entangled in nuclear power?
Germany was proud of its nuclear power generation technology, but at the same time the technology has been so controversial that it has finally decided that April 15, 2023 is the date of withdrawal from nuclear power.
However, as the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war continues to intensify, the wisdom of the decision to say goodbye to nuclear energy has been widely discussed.
Germany ’ s nuclear policy is in dispute again
It all started with an "egg" - Germany's first nuclear reactor in Garching, near Munich, went into operation in October 1957.
Because the nuclear reactor, which belongs to the University of Munich, resembles an egg, it is nicknamed the "atomic egg".
It was a milestone in Germany's nuclear energy research and a symbol of Germany's resurgence after World War II.
The nuclear reactor, which was used for scientific purposes, remained in operation until 2000.
In 1957, Germany built its first nuclear reactor.
Three years later, in 1960, the first nuclear power plant for civilian use was built in the city of Kahl, on the banks of the Main River in Bavaria.
At that time, atomic energy was widely regarded as both safe and reliable. The 1973 oil crisis gave further impetus to the rapid development of nuclear energy in Germany.
The start of the anti-nuclear movement
Since it has been impossible to find a foolproof way to store nuclear waste, opponents have begun to question whether nuclear energy is really a clean energy source.
Thousands of protesters clashed with police during the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Shihe.
Since the 1970s, plans for the construction of the Brockdorf nuclear power plant have triggered numerous police and civil conflicts.
"Nuclear energy? No, thank you!" has become a rallying cry for environmentalists.
In the 1980s, a new political party, the Green Party, emerged in West Germany. Its members are mainly leftists, pacifists, environmentalists and anti-nuclear forces. In 1983, the Green Party entered the Bundestag.
In 1983, Green Party politicians Gert Bastian and Petra Kelly were elected to the Bundestag.
On March 28, 1979, a serious accident occurred at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, United States. On April 26, 1986, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union, exploded, causing the worst nuclear disaster in history.
Radiation clouds spread throughout Europe.
The accident also marked a turning point in discussions about nuclear technology in Germany.
At the time, Germany was still divided.
In East Germany under the Communist Party, the public received almost no information about the nuclear accident and its effects.
West Germany, on the other hand, was in a state of confusion and politicians were helpless.
People were unprepared for a nuclear leak, and the government was unable to provide guidelines and response strategies for the time being.
A hastily formed crisis management team was also disbanded shortly afterwards.
The Chernobyl nuclear accident has caused widespread concern in Germany.
People are buying iodine.
A large quantity of fruit, vegetables and milk in the supermarket was ordered to be removed from the shelves because of concerns about nuclear radiation.
Children were banned from playing in the sand pools and citizens were warned not to go out in the rain.
Although the health effects of radiation were not detected in Germany, the accident led to the introduction of nationwide radiation monitoring in Germany, which eventually led to the establishment of the Federal Ministry of the Environment.
Plans to build a nuclear waste treatment plant in the Bavarian town of Wackersdorf have sparked serious riots.
The clashes left several protesters and civil servants dead and hundreds injured.
The project was finally halted in 1989, the first major victory of the German environmental movement.
And...
In 2011, protesters handcuffed themselves to the tracks in an attempt to block trains carrying nuclear waste.
Meanwhile, in northern Germany, Gorleben in Lower Saxony became a symbol of the struggle against nuclear waste, and the town was designated to temporarily store nuclear waste until a permanent storage site was identified.
The first shipment of nuclear waste arrived in the town on 24 April 1995.
A long farewell to nuclear power - Germany's nuclear withdrawal process after many setbacks
In 2001, Schroeder's center-left coalition government of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party reached an agreement with major energy companies to phase out nuclear power.
All 19 nuclear power plants in Germany have been given operating timelines and the last one is required to be shut down by 2021.
In 2001, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced that Germany would phase out nuclear power generation.
In 2010, the center-right government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel withdrew the nuclear withdrawal agreement.
It also decided to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants.
However, the third major nuclear accident in the world has caused a change in Germany's nuclear energy policy. On March 11, 2011, the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
The impact of the accident on Germany is even greater than that of Japan.
As a veteran physicist, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unexpectedly changed her usual stance on nuclear energy policy.
Merkel suddenly announced that the era of nuclear power in Germany will end by the end of 2022. On July 30, 2011, the German Bundestag voted to approve the resolution.
After years of fierce fighting, the Brockdorf nuclear power plant in the state of Ishih will finally become history in 2021 after 35 years of operation.
In 2017, Germany decided to start a nationwide search for a safe place to store highly radioactive nuclear waste, with the mission to be completed by 2031.
At the end of 2021, anti-nuclear activists celebrated the closure of a nuclear power plant in North Germany.
Rethinking the nuclear policy.
The war in Ukraine has made Germany anxious to get rid of its energy dependence on Russia, which has also reignited the already ironclad policy of denuclearization.
The coalition leader has spearheaded a proposal to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants to replace natural gas from Russia with nuclear power.
In August 2022, CDU Chairman Meltz and CSU Chairman Soder both put forward the idea of extending the time limit for nuclear power operations.
Christian Lindner, finance minister of the business-oriented Liberal Democratic Party (FDP), immediately backed a return to nuclear power.
His party is junior partner in a centre-left coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens.
The latter will find it difficult to agree to an extension because opposition to nuclear power is one of their core issues.
But in the summer of 2022, no one in Germany completely ruled out that possibility.
LDP finance minister Lindner, who is focused on business interests, was also quick to join the pro-nuclear camp.
But for the Green Party, which is also part of the ruling coalition, the possibility of agreeing to extend the operating time of nuclear power plants is slim, because opposition to nuclear power is their basic principle.
Anything is possible in Germany in 2022.
Can nuclear power be a climate savior?
Editor: This article was originally published in August 2022
© 2022 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.
DW.COM

The 1973 oil crisis accelerated the development of nuclear energy in Germany, as atomic energy was seen as a safe and reliable alternative to fossil fuels at the time.

However, opposition to nuclear energy in Germany grew over the years due to concerns about the inability to safely store nuclear waste, leading to protests and clashes during the construction of nuclear facilities.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 marked a turning point in Germany's nuclear policy, sparking widespread public concern and the establishment of nationwide radiation monitoring systems.

Germany's anti-nuclear movement achieved a major victory in 1989 when plans for a nuclear waste treatment plant in Wackersdorf were halted after serious riots and casualties.

The anti-nuclear movement in Germany dates back to the 1970s, fueled by nuclear accidents such as Three Mile Island in 1979 and Chernobyl in 1986.

Title:

Content: “There is no excuse for the rich West to be oblivious to the global debt crisis. ” – The Guardian
We start with an opinion piece by Larry Elliott, the Guardian ’ s economic editor, entitled “The wealthy West has little excuse for finally waking up to the global debt crisis. ”
“After a decade or more of their obsession with their own problems, countries in the wealthy West have begun to pay attention to the threat of a looming debt crisis in the poorer parts of the world, ” he says at a meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington this week.
The good news is that debt has risen to the highest level on the policy agenda and is seen as a problem that needs to be regulated, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said about the need for distressed countries to help: “Help them deal with the debt burden, which has made the shocks of past years more difficult; and help ensure that the IMF can continue to support them in the years to come. ”
The bad news, according to Elliott, is that Georgieva ’ s appeal has not yet been heeded, as rich countries are still primarily interested in their own problems.
The geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China is also not helping.
Creditor countries may wake up to the idea that there is a debt problem but it is far from a solution.
Talk is not like work. ”
Achim Steiner, director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said: “There are more than 50 countries on his radar that can default very quickly. ”
Steiner believes that the UN has no chance of meeting its ambitious 2030 development goals, unless there is urgent action.
The volume of lending by the private sector has made attempts to restructure or write off debt more complex than in the past.
At the time of the HIPC initiative, creditors tended to be either individual governments or multilateral organizations such as the World Bank.
Skip the podcast and keep reading.
Podcast
BBC Extra
A weekly podcast that presents humanitarian stories about the Arab world and its youth.
Loops
Podcast End
“But since the global financial crisis, many countries, especially middle-income countries, have borrowed heavily in financial markets, taking advantage of very low interest rates to finance domestic projects. ”
After the setback of the COVID-19 epidemic, low- and middle-income countries have since been hit by two other undesirable shocks: the war in Ukraine, which led to higher food and fuel prices, and the sharp increase in central bank interest rates in large Western economies.
The result is that debt servicing has become much more expensive, with many countries now frozen out of financial markets altogether.
Steiner said: "The issue is not financial but political.
The United States has mobilized $400 billion to secure Silicon Valley Bank deposits.
This is more than the developing world has received in three years.
It took the Swiss government less than 48 hours to find 100 billion Swiss francs to secure the rescue of one of its banks.
“The lesson of the recent banking crises is clear.
Rich countries can act fast enough when they want to, ” the writer concludes.
Fears of Macron ’ s politics
We turn to another Financial Times opinion piece by Alain Beatty, a trade writer, entitled “The Risks of Emmanuel Macron ’ s Strategic Insistence. ”
Macron ’ s focus on keeping a distance from both Washington and Beijing in pursuit of the EU ’ s vague “strategic autonomy ” is not an innovation among European policymakers, but geopolitical Europe enthusiasts need to recognize that the lack of unity and trust within the EU, rather than the sinister manipulation by Washington and Beijing, is the main obstacle.
“We ’ ve already seen this happen in trade policy, which is one area where the EU has long had the ability to act collectively.
In the same way that there is nothing stopping European governments from increasing military spending and playing a greater geopolitical role, the bloc can certainly increase its ability to use trade to project its strategic influence.
But while France has been keen to create new tools for intervening in trade and investment, other member states recognize that the views and interests of Paris are not necessarily those of the bloc as a whole.
“In recent years, the European Commission has carefully designed a range of trade instruments to confirm the bloc ’ s geo-economic weight.
The most politically salient is the anti-coercion tool ECI, which will allow the EU to use a wide range of trade and investment measures to retaliate against the bullying of trading partners.
France has strongly supported all this activity, and has also called for the creation of new EU central funds to pursue industrial policy.
“But the Commission will struggle to use this set of tools if there is opposition from other member states that are mindful of their export interests or distrust in using trade tools to manage a centralized strategic policy.
A few days before Macron ’ s trip, the Commission succumbed to pressure from some EU governments, including Germany, and gave member states a major role in determining the use of ECI.
Berlin instinctively avoids confrontation that could damage German exports and investments abroad.
There have also been more principled objections from liberal member states including Sweden and the Czech Republic, sceptical of attempts to politicize trade policy and the likelihood that it will be overly influenced by certain governments.
Macron inadvertently contributed to these concerns, especially as he unnerved some other EU governments two years ago with a clear orientation toward a major investment deal with China, “leaving a legacy of caution. ”
“Attempting to push a union with divergent views to adopt a single approach to a specific global issue is unlikely to produce long-term results. ”
German split on energy policy
We remain with an article by Laura Bettel, the Financial Times correspondent in Berlin, entitled “Germany is being torn apart by energy policy with the closure of nuclear plants. ”
Bethel said Germany ’ s last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down on Saturday, “marking a watershed moment in a country that has long had deep doubts about atomic energy. ”
Anti-nuclear activists hailed the shutdown of three reactors as a victory after a temporary delay following the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war that forced Berlin to look for alternatives to Russian gas.
Critics see the shutdown as an act of madness at a time when Europe ’ s energy supply remains precarious and the world is struggling to stop using fossil fuels.
After decades of anti-nuclear protests, the decisive moment came in 2011 when Chancellor Angela Merkel reversed an earlier decision to extend the life of the country ’ s nuclear plants until 2036, bringing the phase-out date to 2022.
The anti-nuclear movement in former West Germany dates back to the 1970s, when a popular campaign succeeded in stopping the construction of a nuclear power plant in the southwestern village of Weil.
The nuclear accidents at Three Mile Island in the United States in 1979 and at Chernobyl in 1986 fuelled that movement.
But German public opinion shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War: an August 2022 poll from Der Spiegel found that 67 percent of Germans supported a five-year extension of the country ’ s nuclear plants.
41% supported the construction of new plants.
In a similar poll three decades ago, only 3% said yes.
But the German Green Party, now part of the three-way coalition government led by Olaf Schulz, only agreed to postpone the shutdown for a few months to fill any gap caused by the winter energy crisis.
“The way in which Germany has chosen to phase out nuclear power, and step back from fossil fuels as a bridging gap even as renewables increase dramatically, has been highly controversial. ”

In 2001, Germany's center-left coalition government agreed to phase out nuclear power, setting timelines for the closure of all nuclear plants by 2021.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted Chancellor Angela Merkel to reverse her stance and announce the end of nuclear power in Germany by 2022.

Germany is shutting down three nuclear power plants as part of its plan to end atomic power, with the remaining three plants scheduled to close by the end of 2022 at the latest.

Title:

Content: Three nuclear-fired power plants will be taken off the grid in Germany on Friday as part of the country's plan to end atomic power.

"The nuclear phaseout makes our country safer and helps to avoid radioactive waste," said Federal Environment and Nuclear Safety Minister Steffi Lemke.

"It is now essential to ... advance the search for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste as well as permanent solutions for low- and medium-level radioactive waste," the environment ministry said.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel speeded up the phaseout following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

Friday's shutdown affects power plants in Brokdorf in Schleswig-Holstein, Grohnde in Lower Saxony and Gundremmingen C in Bavaria.

Germany's remaining three nuclear plants — Emsland in Lower Saxony, Isar 2 in Bavaria and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württemberg — will be closed by the end of 2022 "at the latest," the environment ministry said.

"Since 2011, Germany has been drawing a line under a highly problematic technology in an orderly, reliable process," Lemke said.

Nuclear accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production. The shutdown has sparked criticism as Germany will have to dramatically ramp up renewable energy and has also increased its reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power.

"Security of supply in Germany continues to be guaranteed," said Robert Habeck, federal climate and economy minister. He added that reliable and "sustainably generated electricity" is a "central requirement for aligning our economy and industry toward climate neutrality."

That stance puts Berlin at loggerheads with France, where nuclear is the largest element of its energy mix (and also helps supply Germany).

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said in September that existing nuclear plants, which provide low-carbon electricity essential to the green transition, can be kept running "for two, five, 10 years," adding: "Why deprive ourselves of this production capacity?"

France is planning to scale down the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035, but President Emmanuel Macron said in November that France "will restart the construction of nuclear reactors" while "continuing to develop renewable energies."

Macron also said France will invest €1 billion into research and development, notably into small modular reactors.

Belgium recently decided to shut down all its nuclear power plants by 2025, but plans to invest €100 million in new generation nuclear reactors and research.

More from ... Louise Guillot

The nuclear phaseout in Germany was accelerated by former Chancellor Angela Merkel following the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.

The decisive moment for Germany's nuclear phase-out came in 2011 when Chancellor Angela Merkel accelerated the timeline for closure following the Fukushima disaster.

Germany officially withdrew from nuclear power on April 15, 2023, amid ongoing debates about the wisdom of this decision during the energy crisis caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The war in Ukraine has reignited debates about Germany's denuclearization policy, as the country seeks to reduce its energy dependence on Russian natural gas.

Germany's dependence on Russian gas was highlighted by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, forcing the country to urgently adjust its domestic energy mix.

Title:

Content: Russia, Ukraine under international sanctions to reduce dependence on Moscow for natural gas supply
BERLIN (AFP) – Moscow ’ s invasion of Ukraine highlights Germany ’ s dependence on Russian gas, forcing Europe ’ s largest economy to urgently adjust its domestic energy mix.
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"We have to change course to overcome our dependence on imports," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told a special session of the Bundestag on the Ukraine crisis.
With Russia increasingly isolated from the rest of the world as a result of sanctions imposed on the Ukrainian economy, Berlin can no longer rely on Moscow to supply more than 50% of Germany ’ s natural gas.
German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Monday that energy supplies were still mostly exempt from Western sanctions, but that policymakers still had to respond to Russia ’ s decision to stop gas supplies.
A coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Liberal Democrats (FDP) came to power in December last year, with the new government pledging to withdraw coal-fired power by 2030, but upholding former Prime Minister Angela Merkel ’ s decision to let nuclear power out of service by the end of 2022.
But in Germany ’ s green energy transition plan, natural gas plays a critical and excessive role, providing existing energy supplies before wind and solar power are in place.
Robert Habeck, Germany ’ s economy and climate minister, recently said, “In the short term, we may have to leave coal-fired power in reserve. ”
Green ministers also did not rule out delaying the decommissioning of Germany ’ s last three nuclear power plants.
However, the German government faces significant challenges in pursuing the nuclear option.
“You can ’ t delay the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant after you decide to shut it down, ” says Karen Pittel, an energy expert at the think tank IFO.
Power company RWE told the German daily Handelsblatt that maintaining nuclear power plants in operation would face “extremely high barriers ”“ on a technical and administrative level. ”
(Translator: Liu Shuqin / Review: Chen Chengyi)

More than 50% of Germany's natural gas supply previously came from Russia, but sanctions and geopolitical tensions have disrupted this reliance.

Critics argue that the nuclear shutdown will increase Germany's reliance on highly polluting coal-fired power and require a dramatic ramp-up in renewable energy.

Critics argue that the shutdown is reckless, especially given Europe's precarious energy supply and global efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Germany's approach to phasing out nuclear power while transitioning away from fossil fuels has been highly controversial.

In 2022, leaders from the CDU, CSU, and FDP proposed extending the operating time of nuclear power plants to address energy shortages, but faced resistance from the Green Party, a coalition partner staunchly opposed to nuclear energy.

Public opinion in Germany shifted after the Russo-Ukrainian War, with an August 2022 poll showing 67% of Germans supporting a five-year extension of nuclear plants and 41% favoring the construction of new ones.

The German Green Party, part of the coalition government, only agreed to a temporary delay in the shutdown to address the winter energy crisis.

Nuclear energy currently accounts for about 10 percent of Germany's electricity production.

Germany's coalition government pledged to withdraw coal-fired power by 2030 while upholding the decision to phase out nuclear power by the end of 2022.

Natural gas plays a critical role in Germany's green energy transition plan, serving as a bridge until wind and solar power are fully implemented.

Green ministers in Germany have not ruled out delaying the decommissioning of the country's last three nuclear power plants.

Maintaining nuclear power plants in operation would face extremely high technical and administrative barriers, according to power company RWE.

Germany's last remaining nuclear power plants were shut down, marking a significant moment in a country with longstanding doubts about atomic energy.

Germany's stance on nuclear energy contrasts with France, where nuclear power is the largest element of its energy mix and supports Germany's energy needs.

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has argued that existing nuclear plants provide low-carbon electricity essential for the green transition and could remain operational for several more years.

France plans to reduce the share of nuclear in its electricity mix from 75 percent to 50 percent by 2035 but will also restart the construction of nuclear reactors and invest €1 billion in research and development.

Anti-nuclear activists celebrated the shutdown of the reactors as a victory, following decades of protests and opposition to nuclear energy.