Call for Action

Ende Gelände! Leave the coal in the ground – Protect the climate!

Whether at the G7 summit in Bavaria this summer or the UN climate conference in Paris in December – in an infinite loop, heads of states will show their dismay regarding climate change spiralling out of control. Yet there is a huge gap between need and deed in order to avert catastrophic climate chaos. Short term profits of energy corporations are once again placed above common welfare. The economic system that caused the climate catastrophe in the first place is now supposed to solve the problem. Meanwhile time is running out to avert runaway climate change.

We won't be part of this! We are fed up with watching passively how livelihoods of millions are destroyed and how already massive social inequalities will increase even more due to climate change. We despise the fact that Europe's answer to climate change is raising the walls of fortress Europe - instead of dealing with the causes of climate change and accepting our responsibility for it.

It's not enough to say NO, it is time to resist and take action on climate change. Everywhere in the world people stand in the way of diggers because they want the coal to remain in the ground. They block the drills that frack for gas or oil. And they fight against nuclear power and for a renewable future. From August 14 to 16 we we will also say NO to lignite coal diggers in the Rhineland coal area. We say “Ende Gelände!” - it's the end of the line! We will oppose coal and we are many.

• Example UN climate conferences: The UN process will not solve the climate crisis. Since its start in Rio in 1992 worldwide emissions have risen by 60%. The growth paradigm of our economic system is not called into question by the UN talks, even though it contributes significantly to the climate crisis. It is obvious that this year's climate summit in Paris will fail the same way as the one in Copenhagen did six years ago.
• Example federal German government: While the German energy policies are praised internationally as the prime example for an energy transition, Germany remains world leader in lignite coal. The government is not taking dirty coal power stations off the grid at an appropriate scale. Germany will fail its own climate target of a 40% reduction in C02-emissions.
• Example North Rhine Westphalia (NRW): Nowhere in Europe more CO2 is emitted than in the lignite coal power stations in NRW. Daily, diggers eat further into the territory. Supposedly this should remain like that for decades – at least in the opinion of the provincial government (a coalition of the Social Democrats and the Greens). There are no signs that the provincial government will stop the coal business. Quite the opposite: recently the government tried to permit the use of the coal power station Datteln, which had been put to an end by a court verdict.

This year the opportunities for pulling out of coal once and for all are as favourable as never before. Due to our pressure, the German government is working on a law for phasing out coal and the provincial government of NRW will decide whether to reduce planned lignite mining pits.

Protecting the climate is in our hands! We have to get active now. Because a real end to coal is long overdue.

Our action: Ende Gelände – Leave the coal in the ground, protect the climate!

On the weekend of 14th to 16th of August 12015, we and many others will together stop Europe's biggest and dirtiest CO2 polluter - the Rhineland's open coal mine - with an action of civil disobedience. While some will protest at the edge of the mine, others will block the diggers and other infrastructure in the mine. Together we will force RWE – the energy corporation running the mine – to stop the diggers. Our action will be an image of diversity, creativity and openness. Everyone - those experienced in protest and those who are not - can take part in the action. Ende Gelände for coal diggers and politics that destroy the climate!

A collective mass-action

We are part of a movement that stands up against the burning of fossil fuels, that stands for climate justice and a global energy transition from the bottom up. We turn to the people that have opposed lignite coal in the Rhineland and the Lusatia for decades, may that be in the affected communities, the climate camps, the squatting of the threatened forests or the coal train blockades. We turn to the thousands that fight for an energy transition via anti coal chains or during blockades in the Wendland – historically the German anti nuclear hot spot. We turn to the people who have their energy cut off at home, because energy giants drive up prices. We turn to people who currently work in the renewable energy sector and who are fighting for better working conditions. We turn to the people who have to leave their countries because their livelihoods are destroyed by the fossil fuel driven growth motor of the Global North. For us the exploitation of people and the planet are two sides of the same coin.

Legitimate and necessary

We are aware of the fact that our planned action violates the current law. We do however publicly announce the action. We are firmly convinced that in the face of the urgency of climate change, in the face of the appalling inaction of our so called leaders, in the face of climate tipping points that will be irrevocable – in the firm conviction therefore that in face of all these perfectly clear dangers our violation of the current law is a necessary and legitimate action in order to stop climate change.

Protecting the climate is in our hands.

Last years' successes show that when we are united, determined and many, we can achieve a lot: We put an end to nuclear power and prevented 15 new coal fired power stations. Now we will enforce the end of coal power.

Come to the Rhineland from August 14 - 16 and let's say together: ENDE GELÄNDE -

Leave the coal in the ground – protect the climate!