A statement by Prof. Dr. Niko Paech on the Last Generation. Please spread this wide and wide!
"Climate change is the greatest threat human civilization has ever faced." Unfortunately, we are experiencing that the German government -- notably contrary to its own declarations and corresponding resolutions -- is not fulfilling its responsibility in this regard. Even the Federal Constitutional Court recently established that. And currently, the most important environmental association, the BUND, is filing a lawsuit against the federal government because it violates current climate protection laws. Various social movements have become active to tackle the life-threatening abuse. Anyway, protest forms an integral part of the spectrum of democratic and rule of law opinion. But in this case, a moment of special proportion is added: Never has humanity been in greater danger. Based on this, the actions of the "uprising of the last generation" are quite mild, even compared to the riots of earlier demonstrations around the late 60s or within the framework of the anti-AKW movement in the 70s and 80s.
The uprising of the last generation does not dare to impose radical or new goals to a majority of the population or the federal government, but invokes a social consensus regarding overdue climate protection measures. This will not only reveal a deficit in enforcement, but protects the rule of law. Because a rule of law, on its basis and by its rules decisions -- in this case, of vital importance! -- be caught, which subsequently have no significance because their implementation is delayed or suspended by the relevant authorities, robs them of their own legitimacy. In the long term, trust in the rule of law and parliamentary democracy will thus be destroyed. So: this is about more than climate protection, namely, it is also about the integrity of the political system. "
Teacher Dr. Niko Paech.