Sturm & Drang | The Climate Crisis: How Can We Save Our Planet Now?

As we face burning forests, dry-falling rivers now and deluge tomorrow, it is beyond any doubt: we are in the midst of one of the most existential environmental crises in human history. For decades now, the international community, nation states, NGOs and the scientific community have discussed how to tackle this complex environmental challenge. But it seems that in the current confluence of growing geopolitical conflicts and an unfolding energy crisis we are far away from solutions that do justice to the urgency of the situation.

In the second installment of our series “Sturm und Drang” we will discuss with two eminent activists from Germany and the Netherlands, Linda Kastrup and Benito Walker, what we can and should do to address the climate crisis in these challenging times. Why is the Fridays for Future-movement in Germany not only bigger but also more influential? What difference does it make that the greens are part of the government now? In which direction is the movement developing? Can other democratic instruments, such as forming citizens' councils, help to create a concrete and broadly accepted climate policy? Which approaches are already successful in the Netherlands and Germany? On what aspects can we learn from each other – or even work together?

We are very happy that award-winning singer-songwriter and "Artist for Future" Gisbert zu Knyphausen will approach the topic with a special selection of his music. At the end of March, he played for a sold-out Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and on April 20th we will have him as a special guest in an intimate setting!

About the speakers

Linda Kastrup is a German climate justice activist. She is particularly involved in her Fridays for Future local group in Duisburg and fights for the preservation of the Sterkrader Forest in Oberhausen. She also organizes the federal state level of FfF-NRW and is a spokesperson for Fridays for Future Germany. Besides that, the 23-year-old activist is studying Educational Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Benito Walker is founder of Youth For Climate NL and chairman of Bureau Burgerberaad. Organizations that focus on facilitating the involvement of groups that are now often heard less in the climate debate.

Gisbert zu Knyphausen is a Berlin singer and guitarist who belongs to the A-list of German-language songwriters. They say his lyrics are mostly melancholic, but there is always a glimmer of hope, a belief in the good. Originally from the Rheingau area, Gisbert studied music therapy in Nijmegen in the 2000s.

Mario Daniels is the DAAD-Fachlektor of Duitsland Instituut Amsterdam. He is a historian of the international history of science and technology.