Humanity without water: We are dying of thirst and drying out

Finally some good news: the ozone hole is closing. In generating wealth, humanity came up with the use of chlorofluorocarbons. But they eroded the protective ozone layer in the atmosphere that makes human life possible. Nevertheless, in the 1990s, industry and its lobby representatives declared that the economic system would collapse if a ban on CFCs came about.

As is well known, nothing collapsed, but according to measurements by the World Meteorological Organization, the ozone hole was smaller last year than the average for the years 1990 to 2010. Australia shows how close the catastrophe was: the thinning of the ozone layer is most advanced over Antarctica and Down Under is closest to it. Two out of three Australians will develop skin cancer at least once in their lives, and some more than once. This was announced on billboards in this country in the 1990s: death awaits next to the children playing.

The fact that we have jumped the gun shows that it is possible for human reason to prevail. Of course, it is much easier to replace CFCs in the refrigerator and as a propellant in hairspray with climate-friendly substances than, for example, carbon dioxide. But the same world organization is now warning of something that is already visible to everyone: global freshwater reserves are declining dramatically. Global warming is putting pressure on the balance of the element that makes up 60 percent of us. It's basically down to business.

The taz is an independent, left-wing and opinionated daily newspaper. We have been arguing in our comments, essays and debate texts since the taz was founded in 1979. We often cannot and do not want to agree on an opinion. That's why you'll find some completely opposing positions here - all part of the very broad left-wing spectrum of opinions.

AfD voters will certainly not switch to the Alliance Greens if they can no longer fill their swimming pools. In view of dry lakes, parched floodplains or low water on our rivers, it should be clear to everyone: something is wrong here. There is no alternative to climate protection - and the sooner we start, the more we can preserve the beautiful, carefree life.