Political Activism In A Time of Climate Change: Defending Life Terrains

Prominent German climate activist Luisa Neubauer takes to the stage at the school on September 28 to deliver a talk titled “Political Activism In A Time of Climate Change: Defending Life Terrains”.

After seven years of on the ground climate activism, Luisa Neubauer reflects on lessons from organising, mobilising, and activism in a rapidly changing political climate. In her view, global leaders and their attitudes towards our planet have created an apparatus of denial that continually evaporates hope. How, then, can hope and consciousness emerge nonetheless? What role do emotional landscapes play in defending planetary habitability? What does it mean to stand up for a planet whose accelerating systemic transformations are posing an ever greater threat to human life? And, ultimately, how to reclaim a future in an age of profound and accelerating collapse?

Bio

Luisa Neubauer has mobilized millions for mass protests, leading to Germany’s coal exit and the first national climate law. Under her leadership, the movement showcased the power of youth-led activism and pushed for a European Green Deal.

In 2021, she was the lead plaintiff in the landmark ‘Neubauer vs. Germany’ case. The court ruled that insufficient emissions reduction violates the liberties of young people, marking a pivotal moment for civil rights in climate policy. Her advocacy has brought her into discussions with leaders like President Macron, Angela Merkel, Barack Obama, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Pope.

In autumn 2024, she sued the German government again to strengthen social security during the climate transition. Currently, Luisa Neubauer is building alliances to protect democracy and the climate.

Join us in Didakteket on September 28 at 4PM for a chance to hear one of the leading figures in the global climate movement share her perspectives on the present and the future. Introduction by Nikolaj Schultz.

Photo credit: Lena Faye.