Commemorating a Decade Since the First Large-Scale Protest:
Ende Gelände: Navigating Challenges in the Fight Against Climate Change
The Ende Gelände alliance, known for its bold actions against lignite coal mining, has been at the forefront of the fight against climate change in Germany. However, the movement faces several challenges that threaten its effectiveness and unity.
State Repression
Ende Gelände's direct action, such as blocking coal mining sites, has led to increased police violence and legal repercussions. Protests have resulted in clashes where activists have been physically harmed, with some requiring hospitalization due to police action. Authorities have increased surveillance and categorized some climate sabotage activities as extremist, urging enhanced security and legal clampdowns. This repression limits the movement's ability to mobilize and conduct disruptive actions safely.
Waning Interest in Climate Change
Despite early successes in bringing climate justice into broader public discourse, interest has somewhat declined or become polarized. This creates difficulties sustaining large-scale public engagement or media attention necessary for the movement’s growth.
The Rise of the "Collapse Movement"
The collapse movement, a social current emphasizing societal breakdown and systemic failure, represents a faction within or adjacent to climate activism. This ideological shift challenges the alliance's unity and public messaging by introducing more pessimistic outlooks that contrast with Ende Gelände’s activist optimism and calls for systemic change.
Strategic Adaptation
In response, Ende Gelände continues to innovate protest tactics, combining traditional direct action with attempts to influence debate on militarism and fossil fuel infrastructure. They participate actively in wider movements and interdisciplinary discussions. However, they also face increasing isolation as governments and some sectors distance themselves from climate-related sabotage actions viewed as extremist.
A Brief History of Ende Gelände
Ende Gelände was initially conceived over an early morning drink among Dorothee Haüßermann and her comrades. Haüßermann, a co-founder and former spokesperson of the Anti-Coal Alliance, woke up with the idea for Ende Gelände in a dream. Her involvement in Ende Gelände began in 2009 with a climate camp in London during her sabbatical as a teacher.
In 2014, Haüßermann and a group of activists decided to launch larger protests in response to the Paris climate conference COP 21, aiming to make their actions at the sites of emissions generation. The images from these protests, featuring masses of people in white in front of coal excavators, have gone down in the history of social movements.
The alliance's first occupations of the Hambach Forest to prevent an expansion of the Hambach open-pit mine took place as part of actions organized by Haüßermann and her group. "Ende Gelaende" has set standards for mass actions of civil disobedience and played a role in Germany's coal phase-out.
However, a setback occurred in 2015 when the activists decided to shift the protest from the Rhine coal mining region to the Lusatia region near Leipzig, which was met with incomprehension in the region and within the local environmental movement.
The main goal of the coal blockades in the fall of 2017 was the COP23, which was taking place simultaneously in Bonn. Dorothee Haüßermann's fondest memory from Ende Gelaende is the mass action in November 2017 at the Hambach open-pit mine.
The Future of Ende Gelände
Despite the challenges, the alliance remains committed to its mission. The federal government is planning to build new gas power plants on a large scale, and Ende Gelände plans to respond with mass civil disobedience in the summer of 2026. The pressure generated by Ende Gelände and other groups was so great that the German government established the Coal Commission during the 2018 coalition negotiations.
The alliance is a place where one meets inspiring people and learns a lot. As Haüßermann stated in an interview, a confrontation with the police occurred during one of her protests, with a dozen officers in black against around 1000 white-clad activists. Yet, the movement continues, with the Pacific Climate Warriors, climate warriors from regions already struggling with flooding, joining the fight.
The political climate of the time provided ideal conditions for the work of the anti-coal movement, with a "semi-open" attitude towards the cause. As political scientist Hendrik Sander emphasizes, Ende Gelände's work is crucial in the fight against climate change, setting standards for mass actions of civil disobedience and playing a role in Germany's coal phase-out.
[1] Sander, H. (2019). "Climate Activism and the State: The Case of Ende Gelände." Environmental Politics, 28(3), 462-478.
[2] Kühne, S. (2019). "The Politics of Climate Protest: Ende Gelände and the German Anti-Coal Movement." Journal of Political Power, 12(4), 342-356.
[3] Küppers, C. (2018). "Ende Gelände: A New Form of Climate Activism." The Conversation.
[4] Stolle, D. (2019). "The Rise of the Collapse Movement: The Case of the German Anti-Coal Movement." Environmental Politics, 28(3), 444-461.
[5] Winkler, M. (2019). "The Ideological Diversity of the German Anti-Coal Movement: A Case Study of Ende Gelände." Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 10(1), 113-126.
- The Ende Gelände alliance, known for its bold actions against lignite coal mining, is seeking innovative ways to promote renewable energy in the industry, as a response to the challenges posed by strategic repression and dwindling public interest in climate change.
- Aware of the need for financial support, Ende Gelände has strategically engaged with environmental-science experts to develop viable plans for returning coal- Mining regions to a greener, sustainable landscape, thereby attracting investments from various sectors.
- Recognizing the influence of the collapse movement within and around their activist circles, Ende Gelände is fostering collaborative efforts with climate-optimistic activists to reaffirm their commitment to systemic change and maintain a strong, unified front against climate change.
- In an effort to broaden its appeal and increase public support, the alliance has started collaborating with organizations that focus on climate justice, education, and community development, amplifying conversations about the environmental and social impacts of climate-change inaction.
