{"id":25541,"date":"2019-10-30T16:19:42","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T15:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=25541"},"modified":"2024-06-13T12:19:31","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T10:19:31","slug":"for-the-first-time-germany-has-to-defend-its-climate-inaction-in-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/25541\/for-the-first-time-germany-has-to-defend-its-climate-inaction-in-court\/","title":{"rendered":"For the first time, Germany has to defend its climate inaction in court\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Angela Merkel showed up to the negotiations of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/unfccc.int\/process-and-meetings\/the-paris-agreement\/the-paris-agreement\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paris Climate Agreement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> four years ago with the commitment to cut her country\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Round numbers, good speeches and photo ops aside, is the German government really working to protect the climat<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e?<\/span><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone  caption-style-blue-overlay caption-alignment-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/ceb9349a-gp0strb58.jpg\" title=\"Inside Conference Centre at COP23 in Bonn. \u00a9 Bernd Lauter \/ Greenpeace\" alt=\"Inside Conference Centre at COP23 in Bonn. \u00a9 Bernd Lauter \/ Greenpeace\" class=\"wp-image-25542\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/ceb9349a-gp0strb58.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/ceb9349a-gp0strb58-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/ceb9349a-gp0strb58-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/ceb9349a-gp0strb58-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/ceb9349a-gp0strb58-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, speaking at the COP23 in Bonn.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Bernd Lauter \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The short <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bnnbloomberg.ca\/merkel-s-climate-failings-are-now-a-matter-for-german-courts-1.1338383\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">answer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from these ecological farmers in Germany is a resounding no. And that is why the Blohms, the L\u00fctke Schwienhorsts and the Backsens are bringing a climate case against the German government.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the first time ever that a German federal administration will have to defend climate inaction in court. Germany is falling short in meeting the climate targets that Merkel&#8217;s government wrote. Instead of increasing governmental actions to meet those goals and to live up to the responsibility to halt global heating, the German government <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.reuters.com\/article\/uk-germany-politics\/german-parties-agree-to-scrap-2020-climate-target-sources-idUKKBN1EX0OW\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">simply abandoned them<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that has had a very real impact on these families from Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Brandenburg.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Blohms have noticed it in their increasingly reduced annual yields of apples and the fact they had to chop down all their four hectares of cherry trees because of pests moving north.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe changes in the climate also mean changes for us,\u201d according to Claus Blohm.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Familie Blohm verklagt die Bundesregierung | Klimaklage von Greenpeace\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l8w6ToNrCOo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The L\u00fctke Schwienhorst family are similarly committed to organic production, and have created a staple family business in their community. But it&#8217;s now under threat from the cost of dealing with climate impacts like extended droughts.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis year the weather in the summer was especially extreme,\u201d said Heiner L\u00fctke Schwienhorst. \u201cThe early summer drought never came to an end.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Familie L\u00fctke Schwienhorst verklagt die Bundesregierung | Klimaklage von Greenpeace\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9V1NfFeCIr4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are familiar with hardship, but the climate emergency is pushing them beyond their limits.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s also true for the Backsens, who live on Pellworm island in the North Sea. With rising sea levels, they face the challenge of whether their century-old family farm could remain a viable way to make a living for this and the following generations. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCan we continue to do this at all, if things change so much?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Familie Backsen verklagt die Bundesregierung | Klimaklage von Greenpeace\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/B9SNZxf5KHk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rising temperatures are impacting agriculture around the world, not just in Europe. These three farming families, committed to organic and local food production, are just a small sample of what\u2019s happening to people in similar situations in Germany and in many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can support these families and many other communities in their calls for justice. Add your name <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/act.greenpeace.org\/page\/50528\/petition\/1\"><b>here<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and join the global movement to hold governments and companies accountable for the climate emergency.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><em>Rodrigo Estrada is the communications lead for the Climate Justice campaign<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t<section\n\t\t\tclass=\"boxout post-18532 \"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\tdata-ga-category=\"Take Action Boxout\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-ga-action=\"Image\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-ga-label=\"n\/a\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"cover-card-overlay\"\n\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/act\/climate-justice\/\" \n\t\t\t><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2025\/06\/95f7c1a9-gp0su06kn-1024x683.jpg\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2025\/06\/95f7c1a9-gp0su06kn-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2025\/06\/95f7c1a9-gp0su06kn-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2025\/06\/95f7c1a9-gp0su06kn-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2025\/06\/95f7c1a9-gp0su06kn-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2025\/06\/95f7c1a9-gp0su06kn.jpg 1200w\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 358px, (min-width: 780px) 313px, 88px\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\talt=\"Swiss Senior Women for Climate Protection Verdict at ECHR. \u00a9 Miriam K\u00fcnzli \/ Greenpeace\" title=\"Swiss Senior Women for Climate Protection Verdict at ECHR. \u00a9 Miriam K\u00fcnzli \/ Greenpeace\"\n\t\t\t\t\/>\n            \t\t\t<div class=\"boxout-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"boxout-heading medium\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-ga-category=\"Take Action Boxout\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-ga-action=\"Title\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-ga-label=\"n\/a\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/act\/climate-justice\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRaise your voice for Climate Justice\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"boxout-excerpt\">It\u2019s time for all of us to assert our rights, demand climate justice, and a dignified way of life.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t                                    <a\n                        class=\"btn btn-primary\"\n                        data-ga-category=\"Take Action Boxout\"\n                        data-ga-action=\"Call to Action\"\n                        data-ga-label=\"n\/a\"\n                        href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/act\/climate-justice\/\"\n                        \n                    >\n                        Take action\n                    <\/a>\n                \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These three farming families, committed to organic and local food production, are just a small sample of what\u2019s happening to people. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":25542,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_planet4_optimize_post_is_variant":false,"_planet4_optimize_experiment_name":"","_planet4_optimize_variant_name":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"not set","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"not 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