The rather cheerful discussion dealt with the big questions of an impending hothouse state and the unavoidable transformation to sustainable development worldwide, but also for the city of Potsdam. Jacobs stressed the need for concrete measures. According to Jacobs, there is no lack of ideas for climate protection measures, but the need for a cultural change for the broad acceptance required for such measures. Schellnhuber said that Potsdam is one of the most wonderful cities in the world and should in every sense – including climate protection – "box within the heavyweight league". He emphasized that it is worth fighting for every small temperature reduction since it is not certain at what tenth of a degree so-called tipping points in the climate system might start to slip.
After the salon discussion, the mayor praised Hans Joachim Schellnhuber as a luminary of climate impact research, who has shaped the international debate on sustainable solutions and increased Potsdam's reputation in the world like no other. Jacobs concluded with the words: "Stay involved. We need your warning words, we need your advice for change.“ Following this, Schellnhuber signed the Potsdam's Golden Book.
Speech by the Lord Mayor Jann Jacobs in honour of Hans Joachim Schellnhuber (in German): https://www.potsdam.de/575-ehrung-fuer-den-doyen-der-klimafolgenforschung
