“The climate movement is much less naive now” | D+C - Development + Cooperation

Linus Steinmetz in an interview with Jörg Döbereiner

International headlines in recent months have been dominated by the conflicts in the Middle East, Kashmir and Ukraine. Multiple column inches and minutes of airtime have also been devoted to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs policy and the election of the new pope, Leo XIV. During the German federal election campaign, migration and the economic situation in Germany were the key issues. Is enough media and political attention currently being paid to the climate crisis? 

No, despite this being the central crisis we are facing in the 21st century. It affects countless areas. Why is Donald Trump suddenly staking a claim to Greenland? Naturally he is keen to get his hands on the resources there, but he is also counting on the polar ice melting – factoring climate change into his plans, in other words. International politics and climate change are inextricably linked these days. 

Furthermore, surveys show that many people in Germany and elsewhere are still taking the climate crisis very seriously. They are worried about the climate and their future. And yet the climate crisis is much less prominent in media reporting than one would expect. 

What is the reason for this?

For one thing, the climate crisis is a difficult story to tell by comparison with other topics. Many people take a very acute view of it as a major problem but still see it as an unsettling background issue that is difficult to really get their heads around. Other urgent crises around the world are more tangible and easier to report on. What is more, it is clear that the necessary structures have not yet been sufficiently established: Media, movements and political parties still have their work cut out to build dedicated climate reporting capacity. Foreign correspondents have a much higher profile than climate correspondents – when indeed the latter exist at all. This may also be a generational problem: Many young journalists would like to write more about the climate crisis but find themselves having to report about energy or international policy. At least there is no lack of stories to tell, as the impacts of the climate crisis can be found everywhere. 

What is the current mood in the climate action community?

There are various emotions, one being a sense of disillusionment. We no longer talk as much about stepping up our climate action ambitions, for example at the major climate conferences or at EU level. Instead, it’s more about how we can ensure that at least a minimum degree of climate policy is enacted. And we don’t exactly have the feeling that we are winning this battle just now. At the same time, many people take a pragmatic and, in some cases, optimistic view of the future. We know that the problem won’t go away. In Germany, the climate movement will be keeping a very close eye on the coalition government. There were major political shifts last year, both in Germany and abroad, and now we have a clearer idea of where we stand. Obviously, it is depressing to see Donald Trump in the White House. But it’s also clear now whom we climate activists are struggling against: him and the other leaders whose policies are jeopardising our planet and our future on all kinds of levels. This results in a new clarity that is energising us.