Erkelenz, 22 August 2017. „Ende Gelände“ calls for mass actions of civil disobedience in the Rhineland Coalfields from August 24 – 29, 2017. The grass-roots alliance demands an immediate coal phase-out in order to realize global climate justice. Several thousand people from all over Europe are expected to follow this call and shut down mining operations, united in a determined but peaceful action consensus. Since the weekend, hundreds of activists have already been gathering on the climate camp close to Erkelenz (near Cologne, West Germany).

The lignite operations in the Rhineland include three open-cast coal mines and four power plants that belong to Europe’s most polluting. The energy corporation RWE and the German government plan to continue lignite mining until 2045.

Therefore Ende Gelände encourages all responsible people to take coal-phase out into their own hands. „The time period in which we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change is closing fast“, says Insa Vries, spokes person of Ende Gelände. „Since neither corporations nor the government take solutions forward, it’s up to ourselves to act.“

Forty-seven environmental and human rights organizations signed a declaration of solidarity for Ende Gelände, among them Oxfam Germany, Walhi (Friends of the Earth Indonesia), Friends of the Earth Germany and several peasant organizations from the Philippines, India and Nepal.

„This support is also a warning“, says Janna Aljets, spokes person of Ende Gelände. „If we do not stop burning coal immediately, we risk the livelihoods of millions of people in the Global South.“

Ende Gelände is a grass-roots alliance for climate justice. Last May 4000 activists blocked mining infrastrucutre in the Lusatia coalfields in East Germany. This year, the campaing „Ende Gelände is part of large-scale protests against lignite mining, such as the human chain demosnstration „Red Lines“, and small group actions.

Contact:
Janna Aljets: 0049-163 4434034
Insa Vries: 0049-1520 4560800

presse@ende-gelaende.org