Kassel Climate Crisis Talk

This month, it's time to get to the heart of city politics: Does it finally see the containment of the climate crisis as a task of the highest priority? There will be an opportunity to do so on Thursday, 15.8. Starting at 19:30h in the ASL-Neubau (Universitätsplatz 9, Campus Holländischer Platz), there will be a panel discussion about the climate crisis and the climate ultimatum. Admission is from 19 clock, the entrance is free.

The "Kassel Climate Crisis Discussion" will be introduced with two short input lectures by Prof. Ernst (Center for Environmental Systems Research) on the climate crisis and Prof. Hoffmann (Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Systems Technology) on local climate protection measures. Afterwards, a panel with representatives of Kassel city politics and the climate ultimatum will discuss what can and must be done in Kassel. In the process, the audience will be able to pose specific questions to the panel.

We cordially invite all people to come to the event, and thus together highlight the importance of the topic.

The climate ultimatum
The dramatic nature of the climate crisis is becoming increasingly clear: tipping points of the climate system are coming ever closer, after which catastrophic climate change will become irreversible. Therefore, a broad civil society alliance called on the city of Kassel in early July to finally adopt and implement a radical climate protection concept with extensive immediate measures after all the paper tigers. Like the panel discussion, it was carried by Extinction Rebellion Kassel, Climate Justice Kassel and FridaysForFuture Kassel.

Key demands:

• 10% emissions reduction through immediate action by the end of 2020;
• a 1.5 degree climate justice target means climate neutrality 2030 for Kassel - for this, extremely ambitious targets in all sectors are needed immediately;
• but also control mechanisms such as a "Kassel Climate Council" with science and civil society as well as a regular and comprehensive reporting obligation by the city.

In the meantime, 32 organizations from Scientists for Future Kassel to the Catholic Church Kassel-Hofgeismar have already signed the list of demands - the pressure on the so far unfortunately largely inactive city politics is increasing!

Next touchstone: On 26.8. the city council (StaVo) plans to declare a climate emergency. In this resolution, the StaVo has the option of commissioning the magistrate to develop a climate protection concept that meets the requirements of the climate ultimatum - or to continue to pay far-reaching lip service. Should no far-reaching measures be initiated by the city by the end of August, the pressure will once again be significantly increased by numerous protest actions: in any case, a large Critical Mass with climate reference has already been announced for Friday, August 30 (come with your bikes to the Fridericianum at 6 p.m.). Keep your eyes and ears open also in September!