Hermann Scheer: 1944-2010

Yesterday‚s sudden death of Right Livelihood Award Laureate Hermann Scheer bereft the world of one its most dedicated and successful advocates for renewable energy and energy independence.

Hermann Scheer, Member of the German Parliament and President of Eurosolar, had been named by TIME magazine as a ‘Hero for the Green Century’ in 2002. He died unexpectedly in Berlin on October 14th.

Interview: Governments are puppets

Amy Goodman (RLA 2008) from Democracy Now!, USA, conducted one of the last interviews with Hermann Scheer (RLA 1999) at the 30th Anniversary Conference of the Right Livelihood Award in Bonn, Germany, last month.

In this interview, Hermann Scheer once more made his case for a decentralised energy system relying on renewable energies. He calls it a “fight between centralization and decentralization, between energy dictatorship and energy participation in the energy democracy. And because nothing works without energy, it‚s a fight between democratic values and technocratical values.”

Watch the interview by clicking here

Scheer leaves a big void

Hermann Scheer received the Right Livelihood Award in 1999 “for his indefatigable work for the promotion of solar energy worldwide.” The Right Livelihood Award Foundation was deeply saddened to learn about the death of Hermann Scheer.

“Hermann leaves a big void on a personal, as well as on a political, level. He pinpointed fossil and nuclear energy production as the major danger of our time and showed the world how this threat can be averted. There are only a few people who have done more for the future of our planet. Our thoughts are with his family, who supported this work.

Hermann Scheer was a practical visionary and political person at his very core. He fought tirelessly for the cause of a 100% renewable energy future, often cross party lines, never putting his career first. The German Renewable Energy Law, which essentially goes back to Herman Scheer, now serves as a role model worldwide.

To see how much Herman Scheer was able to achieve as a parliamentarian and civil society activist gives hope for our political system. He has influenced and inspired thousands of colleagues and fellow activists around the world. They will continue his work, but will have very big shoes to fill.”

Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation