ABSTRACT
The German energy turnaround (‘Energiewende’) was not a spontaneous event but the result of a long, ongoing debate. This debate is rooted in a societal dispute regarding the peaceful use of nuclear energy and, with growing impetus, climate protection. Thus, from the start the debate focused on finding ways of energy generation and supply harmless to the people and Nature. From this perspective, the turnaround is the political confession to start the technical and societal challenge to find such ways. This thesis begins with a brief history of the German energy debate, and then discusses some aspects of the current state of the energy turnaround, highlighting opportunities and problems. The paper concludes with a discussion of the possible contribution of the energy turnaround to sustainable society and the Rights of Nature.
