Can Conferences and Protests Curb Global Warming? While tens of thousands of participants at the world climate summit in Egypt were struggling to reach compromises that were not very effective, the activist group “Last Generation” in particular caused discussions in Germany. Its members want to shake up society on the climate issue with apocalyptic tongue-lashing and polarizing actions.

However, they have to put up with the accusation of endangering the social consensus that is so important in the climate problem and distracting them from the actual topic. Instead of environmental policy, there is talk of preventive detention or the appreciation of cultural assets after traffic blocks and attacks on famous works of art.

In any case, the protesters themselves are sure to attract attention. Anne Will also had a guest from “Last Generation” with Carla Hinrichs on Sunday evening. Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP), Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens), Bavarian Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann (CSU) and the ” Zeit” journalist Petra Pinzler.

Hinrichs repeatedly tried to justify the group’s actions by pointing to the urgency of their concerns. “We are racing into a catastrophe and it is our moral duty to use all our peaceful means,” the activist defended herself and her comrades-in-arms. History has shown that peaceful civil resistance can ensure rapid, effective change. “And we’re doing it now because we need it now. We simply have no other choice, it’s an act of desperation,” added Hinrichs.

That sounded more like the reformer Martin Luther and the “Here I stand, I can’t help it” ascribed to him than like civil rights activist Martin Luther King, the icon of civil disobedience, but it undoubtedly had the advantage of drawing Justice Minister Buschmann out of his reserve . Especially since Hinrichs linked her remarks with a view to a judgment by the Federal Constitutional Court with an accusation: “Our government is currently breaking our Basic Law.” In 2021, the court ruled that the then federal government had to improve its climate protection law in order to protect the freedom rights of younger generations . Constitutional complaints from several climate protectors were partly successful.

“Nobody is breaking the Basic Law here,” the cabinet member protested. A climate and transformation fund for 170 billion euros has been set up and next year 36 billion will be invested in climate protection and the conversion of the energy infrastructure. “It’s not the federal government that’s putting the brakes on it. We are probably the most committed federal government in the history of this country for the issue of climate protection,” Buschmann summed up confidently.

Pinzler contradicted this self-assessment. After all, Germany and the EU are slowing down when it comes to climate protection because both have a major credibility problem. After decades of demands to the contrary, given their own difficulties, countries in the South are being encouraged to promote fossil fuels again. This loss of credibility has meant that many countries are no longer regarded as advocates for climate protection and the Chinese could have prevented a lot, the “Zeit” journalist described her impressions of the COP27 world climate conference.

The result of the summit was “damned frustrating,” Göring-Eckardt confirmed her fellow panelist and the verdict of Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who had negotiated in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. “As Germany, we can only do one thing, namely be better than everyone else, because we are an industrial nation and this role model effect means that others then have to join in,” was the appeal of the Bundestag Vice President. “We have to be extremely radical in our politics,” she demanded, but at the same time distanced herself from the radical protests of “Last Generation”.

The discussion about it draws the energy away from the real thing. “I think it does more harm than good to the cause,” said Göring-Eckardt. Her outlook for the future, however, differed only in tone from that which Hinrichs had previously given. The Green politician also predicted climate deaths, climate refugees and loss of prosperity. She tried to explain what could be understood under the last point using the example of coffee and chocolate: “These may no longer exist in 2050 because there will be no places where cocoa and coffee beans can be grown.”

Göring-Eckardt and Hinrichs also agreed in condemning the preventive detention that is imposed on climate activists in Bavaria to prevent renewed crimes. Federal Minister of Justice Buschmann also raised doubts about the proportionality given the maximum duration of 30 days.

The detention had been ordered by a judge after those affected had used an initial release to carry out road blockades again, explained the Bavarian Minister of the Interior, Herrmann. “All of them expressly stated in the presence of the lawyer that as soon as they were released, they would immediately commit such an offense again. That’s a challenge for the rule of law,” said the CSU politician.

He himself wanted to “do everything to de-escalate this situation,” said Herrmann, who also had a suspicion as to what plan the climate protesters could be pursuing with their actions. “What’s the strategy behind it, that none of the thirteen appeals? They want to be made into martyrs,” said the Christian Socialist.

Hinrich’s words showed that he could have been right. “So they are a memorial in this prison every day,” said the “Last Generation” spokeswoman.

The question remains whether in the end it is clear to everyone what the activists want to stand for as a memorial. When moderator Will had to state at the end of the discussion that the means of achieving the climate goals had hardly been talked about, one impression was strengthened: namely that the “last generation” knows how to attract attention, but not really with it know how to start.