In these first weeks of January we are astonished to witness the scandal that is taking place in Lützerath and we call on everybody to show their solidarity in the form they consider more suitable (all infos can be found in Lützi Lebt’s website).
In a moment where climate change seems to be more of a reality than a horizon, the German government, in strict collaboration with the energy company RWE, is violently and unlawfuwlly evicting the last remanents of what once was a home for hundreds, just to turn it into another hole. Another hole to bury our hopes, and let them flourish one day when the winds of this cold winter of 2023 are gone.
But this hole is not just a symbol, it is a very convenient hole for RWE to dig out. Underneath, there is approximately 280 million tons of lignite, which are expected to be digged out and burned before 2030. The madness of this situation becomes obvious as one unravels in whose interests is the mine being expanded. It is not to secure Germany’s energy supply as many studies show that this expansion is not neccesary towards this end (Aurora Energy Research and Coal Commission). It is also not to contribute to the CO2 emissions target by phasing-out sooner the power plant, since the amount of CO2 emitted to the atmosphere is going to be the same, it is only going to be digged faster and cheaper. It just shows how performative and unsincere Germany’s energy policy is, and how powerful and influential is the power of energy companies like RWE to commit environmental crimes with total impunity.
Similarly to this, the opening in record time of three new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in Wilhelmshaven, Brunsbüttel and Lubmin is being sold as a victory towards independence from Russian gas, which in reality is just another ecocide. This gas will be fracked (a practice forbidden in Germany for ist harmful effects on local ecosystems) in countries like Argentina, and then shipped across the ocean into Europe, having throughout the process one of the most harmful carbon footprint of all energy sources. A victory towards independence.
We want to raise our voice to these problems, call out Germany’s hypocrisy and make a call to action to each and every one of us towards real climate protection in our countries, our cities and our neighbourhoods.
