A struggle to determine the future of the European environmental movement is playing out in Lützerath, a small village in Germany’s Rhineland.
Thousands head to encampments of farmhouses, treehouses and other structures to prevent the spread of the virus gatsweiler mine.
At the time of writing, German police have begun a potentially weeks-long operation to weed out climate activists who are preventing the mine from expanding.
solidarity
Activists are battling an ongoing battle with German police, who have erected roadblocks and blockades to prevent deportations.they organize under the banner Lützerath alive. It translates into their main goal – “Lützerath life”.
It was the result of several years of organizing as the residents of four villages, including Lützerath, tried to save themselves from the mine expansion. After exhausting all legal appeals, they are now locking down to prevent the expansion.
Still, and with the German government setting a goal of phasing out coal by 2038, RWE, the energy company behind Garzweiler, is continuing to push for an expansion of the mine. This lignite is one of the most polluting coals in the industry and will plunge the world into further emissions and colonial climate impacts.
For the past few months, Lützerath Lebt has been preparing for the deportation, encouraging activists to come to the camp. Thousands arrived over the weekend as police tightened their siege around the camp.
Live updates on ongoing evictions can be found at various platforms. A large solidarity demonstration is planned for tomorrow Saturday, January 14 2023.
strength
In UK we face fight against fossil fuel expansion, says opposition movement mining in cumbria and extension North Sea oil in progress.
The continued commitment of governments in Germany, the UK and others to support polluters in mining shows that their purported green credentials are hypocritical. They cannot be relied upon to effect the transition from fossil fuels.
Links of solidarity must be urgently established among all those on the front lines against the expansion of fossil fuels, such as those in Lützerath. By building an international coalition of communities facing fossil fuel expansion, communities on the front lines of climate colonialism, and workers exploited by the fossil fuel industry, we can prevent this expansion and others.
After the massive growth of the environmental movement, interrupted in part by the pandemic, now is the test of our strength. Failure would be a disaster.
Lützerath is alive. May it last forever.
the author
Harry Holmes is a London-based climate organizer and writer.For more details on how to support Lützerath, please visit find here.
