Obama’s Energy Revolution

Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 3 August 2015
by Winand Von Petersdorff (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Amy Baker. Edited by Eva Langman.
Barack Obama cannot convince the Republicans that the time is due for an energy revolution. Nevertheless, Obama is helping in this time of harsh economic reality.

“Coal. Guns. Freedom.” That was the slogan with which the Republican Mitch McConnell was elected to be senator in his state of Kentucky. The man is powerful as a [majority] Senate leader of the Republicans and is fighting tooth and nail to ensure that Obama’s energy revolution will never become a reality.

Many Republicans believe that man-made global warming is an invention of liberal forces and an industry interested in restricting their economic freedom. They cannot be convinced by scientists or the Pope, who will promote discussion on climate change during his upcoming trip around America. And there is no way that Barack Obama can convince the Republicans that it is time for an energy revolution.

Ever since Al Gore attempted to become president through his program on climate change, the political scene [surrounding this issue] has been disillusioned. What Obama is helping, however, is the harsh economic reality: Coal production in the United States is becoming economically unattractive because producing electricity from gas has become cheaper, and the international demand for American coal is dwindling.


Die Republikaner lassen sich von Barack Obama nicht überzeugen, dass es Zeit ist für eine Energierevolution. Allerdings hilft Obama die harte wirtschaftliche Realität.

„Waffen, Kohle, Freiheit“: Das war der Slogan, mit dem der Republikaner Mitch McConnell in seinem Bundesstaat Kentucky zum Senator gewählt worden ist. Der Mann ist mächtig als Fraktionschef der Republikaner, und kämpft mit allen Mitteln dafür, dass Obamas Energiewende nie Wirklichkeit wird.

Viele Republikaner glauben, die von Menschen gemachte Klimaerwärmung sei eine Erfindung von liberalen Kräften und einer interessierten Industrie, die ihnen die wirtschaftliche Freiheit beschränken will. Sie lassen sich nicht von Wissenschaftlern überzeugen, und auch nicht vom Papst, der auf seiner anstehenden Reise durch Amerika den Klimawandel zum Thema machen wird. Und schon gar nicht lassen sich die Republikaner von Barack Obama überzeugen, dass es Zeit ist für eine Energierevolution.

Spätestens seit Al Gore mit einem Klimaprogramm Präsident werden wollte, ist das politische Klima vergiftet. Was Obama allerdings hilft ist die harte wirtschaftliche Realität: Kohleförderung in den Vereinigten Staaten wird wirtschaftlich unattraktiv, weil die Stromproduktion aus Gas billiger geworden ist und die internationale Nachfrage nach amerikanischer Kohle schrumpft.
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