Six Kingsnorth heros

The Kingsnorth 6 first stopped a massive coal power station for a day. Then they made legal history, when a middle England jury ruled that a bit of paint on a chimney is no harm, really, when you consider the consequences of coal burning for the planet and our future. In all likelihood, the Kingsnorth 6 have also killed off the string of new unabated coal plants that were planned in Britain, after this recent government announcement, which did mark real progress. The pressure needs to continue - and more activities will follow on July 4th. In the meantime, though, the Kingsnorth 6 deserve all the credit they can get. It´s wonderful, therefore, to see acclaimed filmmaker Nick Broomfield make a 20 minute documentary about these six extraordinary, ordinary heros. If you don´t have 20 minutes now, watch the trailor below. I am sure it will make you want to see the whole thing - which you can do here.
Admiration. It´s the simplest word to describe what I feel. Admiration - and gratitude!

Die Anti Kohlebewegung ist da!

Die bundesweite Presse nimmt noch kaum Notiz davon. Doch deutschlandweit wächst und gedeiht der Widerstand gegen neue Kohlekraftwerke. Zu bundesweiten Demos strömen vielleicht nicht Zehntausende. Aber Zehntausende sind in der letzten Wochen - von Emden und Brunsbüttel im Norden über Lünen bis Mainz - gegen die Kohle auf die Strasse gegangen. 4000 waren es allein in Mainz am letzten Samstag (wo auch das nebenstehende Foto entstand). Am 6. Juni folgt eine Demonstration in Krefeld. Dort wird der Stadtrat in den nächsten Tagen über das Kohlekraftwerk befinden; hier können die Stadträte aufgefordert werden, zur klimapolitischen Vernunft zu kommen. - Über 37,000 haben den Aufruf "Zukunft statt Kohle" unterschrieben; Grund genug für Minister Gabriel in Berlin vor dem Bürgerwillen zu flüchten. Beim Kirchentag in Bremen konnte er den Kohlegegnern aber nicht mehr entkommen und versprach die Unterschriften doch noch entgegen zu nehmen. Spannend in Wahlkampfzeiten: CDU und SPD sind in der Kohlepolitik tief gespalten. Eine 42-41 Abstimmung zum Kohlekraftwerk in Lubmin beim Parteitag der SPD Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ist für diese internen Konflikte ein hübsches Symbol. In Mainz, z.B., ist die CDU gegen das Kohlekraftwerk (und ein lustiges Video zur Kommunalwahl fordert in Konsequenz den Schwarz-Grünen Schulterschluss). Auf der anderen Rheinseite, in Hessen, betreibt insbesondere Kochs CDU das Festhalten an Kohledinosauriern wie dem neuen Kraftwerk in Staudinger (der CDU Ortsverband Hainburg ist wiederum dagegen.) Die SPD ist genauso gespalten - nur geographisch umgekehrt. In Wiesbaden ist sie gegen die Kohle. In Mainz ist sie genauso entschieden dafür - und bekam zuletzt prominente Unterstützung von "Umweltminister" Gabriel. - Einige Kohlekraftwerke sind schon - aus den unterschiedlichsten Gründen - verhindert worden, zuletzt und prominent in Berlin. Neben den Energiekonzernen sind heute auch die Finanzierer von Kohlekraftwerken - wie die Deutsche Bank - vor Protesten nicht mehr sicher. All das sollte Anti Kohle Aktivisten deutschlandweit Mut machen. Die Anti Kohlebewegung lebt. Es wird Zeit, dass auch die überregionalen Medien das zur Kenntnis nehmen. Denn an der Zukunft der Kohle, entscheidet sich die Zukunft unseres Klimas. Mit Sicherheit.

More Pascal Lamy

Truth be told, I miss Pascal Lamy. I used to meet the affable Frenchmen regularly when he was still pushing EU trade interests down other countries throats. As EU trade Commissioner, he used to meet NGO´s on his tours around Europe. Because he loves to debate and exercise not just his legs (he runs marathons), but also his sharp mind. Because he wants to try and pretend that EU trade policy is democratic. And because he tends to think he is the smartest man in the room. He likes debates, because he likes (to think he is) winning them. - Since 2005, he has been running the World Trade Organization. In that role, I have met him less often. I have missed the debates, but I guess there is still time. A few days back - without much public fanfare- Lamy was confirmed as DG of the WTO for another four years. So far, his track record in that job has been disappointing - especially for himself. For years, even back in his old job, he has been working to finish the Doha trade round. When he was appointed, he called finishing Doha "the top priority". Luckily - for people and the planet, at least - he has failed - so far. But I suspect he really wanted this second term to be the one laughing at the end. The one who finishes the Round most people have forgotten about only to then claim that Doha is the miracle cure against the global recession. You can be certain that Lamy and the WTO will argue that liberalizing global trade is what a world in recession really needs now more than ever. No matter that the evidence is long in, that further liberalization is the wrong answer. - I hope, therefore, that Lamy continues to be so (over-)ambitious in his liberalizing zeal that the rest of the world refuses to go along with a Doha deal. - And in memory of the good times I have had debating Lamy, I here post a video of one of my visits to the WTO in 2005. Not sure if it managed to change WTO trade policy. But the action you see on the video, I am told, did change one WTO policy: the security policy. Apparently, it has since become more difficult to approach the WTO building (which ironically used to be the ILO building!) from the Lake Geneva side. Well, at least it´s a measurable impact .... Enjoy.

Tourist season ...

Growing up in (well, near) Heidelberg, I know all about tourists taking over a city and the locals being left wondering whether they are more than picture accessories. As a boy, I wore a T-shirt with the slogan "I am not a tourist, I live here" with pride. I even admit to being rude to tourists at times. When asked for directions to the Castle, say, I pointed out - in a rather direct German way - that for some people Heidelberg is a home, not a fairy tale. (Of course, I was only rude when I wasn´t busy milking tourists for their money as a busker ...) My Heidelberg experience is no doubt to blame, that I had to laugh out loud when I saw the above graffiti in Firenze last week ... Tourist season, by the way, had just started ...