Previously-Held Office of Federal Environment Minister by an Individual - CDU member Klaus Töpfer has passed away.
The ex-Federal Environment Minister and CDU politician, Klaus Toepfer, has sadly passed away. The news was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Federal CDU on Tuesday. Toepfer was 85 years old when he passed away on Saturday due to a brief yet harsh illness.
As Germany's second Environment Minister, he was the one to significantly influence the role. For years, Klaus Toepfer was nicknamed the "green conscience" of the Christian Democrats. He remained committed to promoting eco-friendly politics up until his later years. The newspapers "Neue Westfalen" and "Westfalen-Blatt" had previously reported his death.
Klaus Toepfer made headlines in 1988 when he jumped into the Rhine from a police boat - the reason being a wager, which he frequently shared as a story. The year prior, he succeeded Walter Wallmann as Environment Minister. Until 1994, Toepfer held that position until he was succeeded by a future Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986 prompted the government, led by Helmut Kohl (CDU), to combine environmental issues and reactor safety under a separate ministry. A year later, Toepfer urged for a future without nuclear power and less reliance on fossil fuels.
Born in 1938 in Silesia, Toepfer moved to Hoxter in Westphalia following the Second World War. In the 1970s, he entered politics in the Saarland, working his way up from a position in the state chancellery to becoming State Secretary and then Minister for the Environment and Health in Rhineland-Palatinate before eventually joining federal politics. On two occasions, Toepfer attempted to be the CDU's top candidate in the Saarland state election, but was unsuccessful.
After leaving his role as Federal Environment Minister, Toepfer's primary topics continued to be environmental protection and sustainability - including the social aspect. In 1996, he represented Germany at the UN-Habitat Conference in Istanbul, focusing on urban quality of life, poverty, and environmental concerns. From 1998 to 2006, he served as the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. Until his death, he resided in Hoxter, North Rhine-Westphalia, with his wife.
