President Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen discussed the topic with Jannik Berbalk from Fridays for Future Kleve District, Dr Barbara Hendricks, SPD Member of the Bundestag for the Kleve constituency, Terry Reintke, Member of the European Parliament for Alliance 90/The Greens, and Dr Stefan Berger, Member of the European Parliament for the CDU, on the topic ‘Climate Cabinet or Cabaret – How Germany Intends to Achieve the Paris Climate Targets’. The President explained how important innovation is in this context, not only in the economy but also in universities. “Universities can make a significant contribution to achieving these targets. But to do so, they need sufficient funding for teaching and research to ensure they are properly equipped,” said the President. He emphasised that universities are, at their core, places where facts and knowledge are acquired, and referred to the fundamental right to freedom of science, research and teaching enshrined in Article 5 of the Basic Law. “But this also means: there is no right to alternative facts. Universities must take a stronger stance on this,” the President continued. When asked specifically about the opportunities available at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences, he highlighted, amongst other things, the university’s innovative research laboratories, the tropical greenhouse, the activities within the Sustainable Agriculture degree programme and the potential offered by the 3D Centre of Excellence in Kamp-Lintfort. At European level, the President called for climate protection to be more firmly embedded in the European Commission’s programmes.
Furthermore, Prof. Dr Joachim Fensterle, Professor of Biotechnology at Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and co-initiator of ‘#LecturesForFuture’, gave a speech in which he discussed the topic of climate change from a scientific perspective, backing up his points with studies. He explained, for example, that there are certainly ways to finance the energy transition in Germany. Professor Fensterle also expressed his solidarity with the school pupils and university students taking part in the demonstrations and emphasised the need for swift action. The #LecturesForFuture had previously taken place in June 2019, with the aim of bringing the issue of climate change to the fore in teaching modules as well. The Stifterverband awarded the initiative the ‘Hochschulperle Future Skills’ prize for June.
