Alternatives

Utopias for system change

Actions

Ende Gelände, Zucker im Tank, Red Lines, rePlace Coal and more

Networking

Connecting Movements Camp 2017

Education

Programme of the Climate Camp 2017

2017 saw another Climate Camp! From the 18th till 29th of August we had networking, education, arts and actions… and trying out tomorrow’s society right now – social, ecological and based on grassroots democracy. At the camp the Degrowth Summer School took place for the third time, where the concept of degrowth was put into action: By learning practical skills and analyzing political and economic developments. During the action days in the Rhineland there were different demonstrations and actions to suit everyone’s taste.

You can get a good idea by checking out our videos, photos, posts and the Ende Gelände press review.

What are the action days in the Rhineland?

From August 24 to 29, during the action days in the Rhineland different forms of actions took place next to each other in a solidary fashion. This included creative small group actions, a human “red line” with 3000 participants, mass actions of civil disobedience and more. There was a focus on climate justice and resistance against lignite, but it was also about connecting these topics to other struggles, such as queer-feminism, freedom of movement and animal rights – you can get an overview of the different camps and actions here.

What’s the Climate Camp?

Climate Camps are the heart of the climate movement. Just like at other Climate Camps, in the Rhineland we…

  • …live alternatives together: anti-authoritarian self-organisation, our own energy supply, compost toilets, music and much more!
  • …create networks. At the camp it’s not only people who meet, but also movements.
  • …educate ourselves. There are courses, workshops, open space, panel discussions, spaces and events for children and teenagers, and a cultural programme. We deal with a diverse range of topics, from theoretical analysis of climate change to practical stuff like building a windmill.
  • …develop actions. There have always been actions protesting against coal over the last few years at the Climate Camp. In 2015 Ende Gelände took place here, 2016 the action lab was our guest and in 2017 there were many different actions as part of the Action Days in the Rhineland.

What’s the Degrowth Summer School?

This is the third time the Degrowth Summer School took place at the Climate Camp. With its four day-courses, the Summer School covered a wide range of topics: from practical skills to activist strategies and scientific debates. The 2017 main topics were “Degrowth perspectives on the future of the Rhenish lignite region”, “Psychology of change” and “Skills for System Change”. Get more info at the Summer School’s website.

Why in the Rhineland?

Every year since 2010 a Climate Camp has taken place in the Rhenish lignite mining area. This coal field is the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in all of Europe. Still people are forced to resettle and villages and landscapes are destroyed, all for coal mining. In addition to the Climate Camps, the Hambach Forest has been occupied since 2012. In 2015, the action “Ende Gelaende“ was a peak of the climate movement: more than a thousand people occupied a coal mine for one day. With more than 3000 participants, the 2017 camp was the biggest to date in the Rhineland. At the same time the connections to the neighbours aswell as the coal workers were deepened. This can hopefully contribute to kicking off a wide debate on the future of the region.

News

Lost & Found & Gone-to-save-a-forest

Dear all, if you lost something on the Climate Camp, here’s how to get it back (or say farewell): All things we classed as “valuable” have been saved. Please write to klimacamp-im-rheinland@autistici.org if you’re missing something that we might have stuck in that category. We didn’t consider towels or dirty underwear or anything like that as […]

Donation for the kitchen, please.

It was a pleasure to built up the camp, to learn and to block coal infrastructure with all of you! Our fabulous kitchen crew is still missing some money to cover all costs. You forgot to donate? No, problem, you can transfer your donation to this banking account:   Gaarkeuken Den Troag IBAN: NL52RABO0187631360 BIC: […]

Video: Workshop on coal mining in Mozambique

At the climate camp, Carlos Mairoce offered a workshop on coal mining and resistance against it in Mozambique. You can watch the whole workshop here:

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