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Digital and creative: climate strike despite Corona

May 27, 2020 / alpMedia
Global #digitalstrike, climate strike in Switzerland, climate corona deal in Austria, mailbombing in Italy: how climate activists in Alpine countries deal with the initial restrictions and what they take away from the corona crisis.
Image caption:
Climate protest during Corona: activists in Switzerland express their demands on painted stones. (c) Klimastreik Graubünden

The climate activists of the “Klimastreik Schweiz” movement actually wanted to bring their day of action onto the streets throughout the country on 15 May. As a result of the corona pandemic, they, like climate movements worldwide, have mainly transferred their actions online instead. Their protest is now becoming visible despite initial restrictions: in Graubünden, for example, everyone is called upon to place stones, posters and placards painted with messages in public places. “It is a great challenge for us to generate similar attention digitally. Within our grouping, however, the work and communication continue to go very well”, says 16-year-old Leandra from Klimastreik Schweiz in Appenzell. Meanwhile 17-year-old Loris, who is regionally active in Chur in Graubünden, says: “We have to draw our conclusions from the way society is dealing with the corona crisis. We need the same solidarity and determined action to avert the climate crisis as well”. Leandra, Loris and many other activists from the climate movement in Switzerland have drawn up a Climate Action Plan in which they call on politicians to design economic reconstruction programmes in an environmentally and climate-friendly manner.

One deal, many e-mails

In its Climate Corona deal, “Fridays for Future Austria” is demanding a similar social contract. Due to the easing of initial restrictions, actions and vigils for climate protection in public spaces are again taking place in various cities. The climate movement in Italy has organised “mail bombings”, where around half a million e-mails with demands were sent to political leaders. At the end of April, a digital climate strike took place worldwide in which hundreds of thousands of people took part via a livestream under the keyword “fighteverycrisis”. For young people like Leandra and Loris, one thing is clear: they want to restart the climate strike in Switzerland as soon as possible. There is no shortage of ideas or drive for doing so.

Sources and further information

climatestrike.ch/de (de), www.klimastreik-graubuenden.ch/ (de), fridaysforfuture.at/events/2020-05-06-einwoechiger-protest-vor-dem-bundeskanzleramt (de), www.fridaysforfutureitalia.it/agisci (it), fridaysforfuture.de/netzstreikfursklima/, www.zeit.de/campus/2020-04/fridays-for-future-netzstreik-fuers-klima-streik-berlin (de), www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/fridays-for-future-streik-im-kinderzimmer-16739963.html (de), www.umweltinstitut.org/aktuelle-meldungen/meldungen/2020/klima/die-klimabewegung-im-krisenmodus (de)