"Last generation" will soon be more radical? Climate Prof calls for emergency laws that will massively change the country

The "Last Generation" asks: "What if the government doesn't have this under control?". Will the demands of the "climate glues" soon become more radical? © picture alliance/dpa/Nadine Weigel

"How radical would it have to be?" A university professor develops rigorous demands for the "last generation", including a number of bans and emergency laws.

Munich – How radical can climate protection be? This question has been associated with the protest of the "Last Generation" for months. Above all, the activists are trying to draw attention to climate protection with road blockades. Publicly, the group appears with two main demands: a speed limit of 100 km/h plus a nine-euro ticket. For university professor Helge Peukert, this does not go far enough. He says: "There is a lack of a radical catalogue of proposals as an indication of direction". For the "last generation" he therefore developed new demands. Emergency laws are needed.

Peukert mentions measures that go far beyond the activists' previous approaches – and would massively cut into the private lives of the population. Petrol and diesel throttling, control of energy from private households, CO₂ tax and some bans: for example, on air travel, meat consumption, campfires or the use of elevators and escalators.

"Only blockades, morality and naïve appeals could lead to the failure of the LG"

In a blog post in the business magazine Oxi, Professor Peukert deals with the demands of the "last generation". He asks: "How radical would it have to be?" and appeals for more rigor: "Otherwise, only blockades, morality and naïve appeals to the federal government will possibly lead to an imminent failure of the LG." He is a member of "Scientist Rebellion", a group of scientists who demand immediate action against climate change, including protest. In addition, according to his own statements, he is in contact with the "Last Generation" and was involved in the group's actions. Their press spokeswoman Carla Hinrichs did not comment on Peukert and his plans at the request of our editors.

Peukert argues that the "intensification of the climate catastrophe" can only be stopped with emergency laws. The aim is to achieve three goals: halving energy consumption, reducing material flows by 90 percent and ending land consumption – all within five years. Specifically, the economics professor at the University of Siegen divides his demands into several sub-areas. His plans at a glance.

1. Climate

• EU-wide reduction of greenhouse gases to zero by 2035
• Ban on palm oil, deforestation, as well as "activities that cause organic decay". Specifically: no barbecue, no campfire
• Renaturation of CO₂ reservoirs such as soils and peatlands, more trees

2. Transport

• Speed limit of 100 km/h, dismantling of roads and motorways
• Nine-euro ticket, free public transport in the long term
• Control of private petrol and diesel consumption: 500 litres per person/year. "Non-transferable and to be reduced to 5 in 0 years."
• Ban on cruise ships, low-cost airlines, as well as all flights under 1000 and over 3000 kilometers. "There is the right to a return flight/year, in five years one flight every three years, the right is not transferable." Most airports will be closed.

"100 km/h and €9 for everyone". These are essentially the demands of the "last generation". Will it soon become more radical? © picture alliance/dpa/Nadine Weigel

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3. Social affairs and society

• introduction of a conditional basic income; Maximum income equal to ten times the minimum wage
• High wealth and inheritance taxes as well as a CO₂ tax of five percent of annual income for every ton of CO₂ more than two tons of CO₂ per person.
• ban on private health insurance; the contribution assessment ceiling does not apply.
• Mandatory social service for all, decommercialization of care work.

4. Communication/Research

• "Secure Internet"; independent search engine
• Drastic restriction of the freedom of action of IT companies
• Special fund for the implementation of the emergency programme

5. Housing

• prohibition of new construction activities; New buildings only as zero-emission houses. Reduce emissions by 12 percent annually (70 percent in ten years).
• Control of energy: Everyone is entitled to as much as is needed for heating 45 square meters at 20 degrees
• No sealing of open spaces and settlements on greenfield sites
• Refurbishment with a focus on renewable energy: heat pumps also in old buildings, promotion of solar parks and wind turbines by citizens' cooperatives.
• Rules for household appliances such as washing machines or lawn mowers: Must comply with energy class A+++ and have a minimum number of users.
• Control of waste from private households: may not exceed 10 percent of the value before the introduction of the emergency program

6. Work/Economy/Industry

• Dismantling of entire industries: fossil energy, auto, airlines and shipping companies, chemicals, fertilizers, cement and metals, financial sector.
• Checking all workplaces for their "environmental compatibility"
• Less work: maximum 25-hour week
• No taxes up to €25,000, then increasing on a linear basis
• No VAT, instead compensating CO₂ taxation on the production and purchase of products, which is supposed to account for the majority of tax revenues; 25 percent tax on online purchases.
• ban on single-use products (cups, bottles, plastic bags); non-reusable products must disappear in three years
• Prohibition of "non-essential machines": elevators, escalators, bread slicers, neon signs (no advertising displays on streets, shop windows not illuminated at night). Elevators for the disabled only if electricity comes from renewable energy.
• Restriction of private ownership of water, land and forests.

7. Food/Agriculture

• Extensive ban on imports of foodstuffs (especially from outside the EU)
• Access to food through a "points reference system" in order to achieve basic supply and equal distribution.
• Prohibition to throw away food.
• No more meat and sausage consumption, "optionally a low, maximum quota/capita."
• No factory farming, stricter rules on fishing, ban on pesticides, emissions in agriculture to zero by 2035
• At least 20 percent of Germany's area will become ecozones. There is no sealed ground, no roads, no villages.

8. Financial sector

• All lending should be "eco-social"
• Setting a minimum holding period of one week for stocks, bonds and currencies
• Introduction of a financial transaction tax
• Bank size limit of €100 billion

The more than 50 demands are intended to serve the "last generation" as an orientation for a new appearance. Peukert explained this in an interview that also appeared on Oxiblog.de. "In addition to the well-planned actions and the professional organization, it is not only in my opinion that there is only a little lack of direction in terms of content. The proposals serve as a stimulus for this." The "Last Generation" has so far avoided making a public statement on the matter.

Meanwhile, the German Advisory Council on the Environment has called on the German government in a special report to demand more climate-friendly behaviour. According to the experts, environmental crises can only be overcome if people change how they live, consume, move and eat. (as)