2023-12-31 17:10:04
On a November evening, climate activist Karla Bauszus reported a success. She called the Lüneburg local newspaper several times, she says in a group of climate activists who believe that saving the climate should best start in their own city. Bauszus wanted the newspaper to report on the Hanseatic city’s next council meeting.
Because as a citizen, Bauszus had decided to ask a question: “Which political groups support the budget for climate protection measures demanded by the Climate Neutrality Working Group?” From Bauszus’ point of view, it would have been a shame if no one had heard the answers. A reporter from the “Landeszeitung für die Lüneburger Heide” reported from the meeting.
The newspaper follows up later. One comment said that the questions had pestered local politicians and “recalled decided climate goals”. “That was really good reporting,” says Bauszus happily in the group with the other Lüneburg activists.
The idea is simple
Just like in the Hanseatic city, there are local climate activists in dozens of other cities and communities. The Berlin non-governmental organization Local-Zero supports them. “What can you do for the climate?” asks the initiative on its website and gives the answer itself: “We are making climate neutral place by place.” The idea is simple: activism where there is a lot to achieve. Influencing local politics, in the engine room of the democratic Federal Republic.
Members of the Lüneburg group Local-Zero at their plenum: Photo: Lucas Wahl
In Halle, the activists want to form a climate protection council in which experts, committed people and city representatives will come together.
In Bargteheide, northeast of Hamburg, they are calling for a binding climate action plan. By 2035 at the latest, the municipality should not produce more emissions than are absorbed from the air there.
A few kilometers further south, in the Hanseatic city of Lüneburg, this should be achieved by 2030. Two years ago, activists there ensured that the city also shared this goal. Now it’s about implementation. On this November evening, the activists meet for their “plenum” in which they discuss the progress. They sit together on the upper floor of a café on the edge of the old town. Espresso is being roasted downstairs, and upstairs a computer scientist, a teacher, a retired notary and some students from Leuphana University are discussing how things could move more quickly towards climate neutrality. The next day some of them are guests of the city again. They meet with their climate protection manager again and again – show their presence, offer help, hear what’s new.
Out of inner obligation
At their meeting, the activists think about what they want to address the next day. Bauszus notes everything. The 24-year-old environmental science student writes the minutes that evening, runs through the agenda items, pays attention to the schedule, and brings order to the activism. Bauszus says about demonstrations: “That’s not the form of activism that I feel comfortable with.” She still goes there sometimes, out of an inner obligation. But this does not alleviate the powerlessness that Bauszus feels because no individual can stop the climate crisis. So she tries to contact the municipality.
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