A CDU politican has spoken out. - Klaus Töpfer, a past federal environment minister, passes away.
Klaus Toepfer, a former Federal Environment Minister and CDU politician, has passed away. He died on Saturday after a brief, serious illness, according to a Federal CDU spokeswoman. At 85 years old, Toepfer was Germany's second Environment Minister but the first to significantly influence the role. For years, Toepfer was known as the "green conscience" of the Christian Democrats and continued to advocate for sustainable policies even in old age.
Newspapers "Neue Westfalen" and "Westfalen-Blatt" also reported his death. Toepfer became well-known for a daring leap from a police boat into the Rhine in 1988, a story he liked to share, having lost a bet. He succeeded Walter Wallmann as Environment Minister in 1988 and stayed in the role until 1994, being replaced by Angela Merkel (CDU).
In 1988, Toepfer advocated for a nuclear-free future as well as lower fossil fuel use. Following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the government of then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl (CDU) combined environmental issues and reactor safety in a separate ministry. The following year, Toepfer called for a future with no nuclear energy and less reliance on fossil fuels.
Born in 1938 in Silesia, Toepfer settled in Höxter, Westphalia, following the end of the Second World War. He entered politics in the 1970s in the Saarland, assuming a role in the state chancellery. Subsequently, he became State Secretary and then Minister for Environment and Health in Rhineland-Palatinate. Twice, Toepfer unsuccessfully ran for the CDU's top candidate in the Saarland state election.
After leaving the Federal Environment Minister position, environmental protection and sustainability, including in the social sector, were his primary interests. In 1996, Toepfer represented Germany in the UN-Habitat Conference in Istanbul, addressing city quality of life and investigating issues like poverty and the environment. From 1998 to 2006, Toepfer served as the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. Until his passing, Toepfer resided in Höxter, North Rhine-Westphalia, with his wife.
