Extinction Rebellion in pictures

Odeonsplatz, Munich

Extinction Rebellion comes to Munich

'This is the most pressing and urgent problem of our time, in the history of the human race.’ (Emma Thompson)

The Extinction Rebellion that has hit London in recent days looks set to get its own Munich flavour today (Saturday 20 April). The Rebel for Life demonstration, which is due to take place at Odeonsplatz at one o’clock, comes with a series of demands of the German government.

In an online letter, Extinction Rebellion calls on ‘rebels, climate activists, environmentalists, and everyone else who cares about the extinction of animals and plants, climate justice and global warming – you are very welcome to join us on 20.04. to rebel against a failed climate policy.’

The British media has been in something of a frenzy with the London protests. Tellingly, while much of the populist press and right-wing (former) broadsheets naturally hate everything about what Extinction Rebellion are doing, the protestors are getting some vocal good support.

In is no surprise to see the Guardian come out broadly in support, including with key columnists, such as Polly Toynbee. Stars, activisits, political commentators have publicly supported the action. British actress Emma Thompson, for example, spoke from the activists’ pink boat in central London, with the NME reporting that she said: 'This is the most pressing and urgent problem of our time, in the history of the human race.’

Munich aims to sign up cyclists

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but Munich in the past year or so seems to have become a lot more impatient in its wait for the city’s transformation into a more sustainable place to live. From the ‘save the bees’ vote (which the bees won, I’m happy to say) to the regular FridaysForFuture gatherings at Marienplatz, it is clear that Münchners want a greener, more sustainable city. The current big initiative is the Radentscheid: the bicycle referendum.

In a recent interview with me for a magazine article about how sustainable Munich is, Fabian Norden, a political advisor to Green politician Markus Büchler, told me that Munich has a ‘bike usage’ of around ‘18 per cent’. It’s below smaller cities with lower populations, he noted, such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen. But, ‘It’s up near the top for a city of more than one million people.’   

Cyclists signing the bicycle Munich referendum (picture from Radentscheid München: https://www.radentscheidmuenchen.de/presse/)

As the Radentscheid indicates, however, with all we know about climate change, and our experience of trying to bike along streets packed with cars and other motorised vehicles, much more needs to be done to make the Bavarian capital more enticing to potential bike riders.

The aim is to radically transform cycling in Munich in a number of ways: creating ‘safer, wider and more convenient cycling paths’, for example; and a ‘city-wide, continuous and dense cycling network’. Clearly, claims that Munich is already a bicycle capital (German) is wide of the mark, something the referendum is aiming to help change.

Check out the Radentscheid München (English) website to find out more, including where to sign the referendum.

• December 2019
  • Dec 16, 2019 ÖDP's Sonja Haider interview: sustainable Munich & European Green Capital Award Dec 16, 2019
• October 2019
  • Oct 16, 2019 Munich city council reveals first plans for cycle path round Altstadt Oct 16, 2019
• August 2019
  • Aug 30, 2019 Let the train take the strain (out of travel) Aug 30, 2019
• July 2019
  • Jul 24, 2019 A coal-free Munich by 2020? Jul 24, 2019
  • Jul 17, 2019 Munich CSU and SPD overturn 2022 coal referendum result Jul 17, 2019
  • Jul 15, 2019 Extinction Rebellion rebel in Munich Jul 15, 2019
  • Jul 9, 2019 SPD and Greens need to deliver on Munich cycling transformation Jul 9, 2019
• June 2019
  • Jun 24, 2019 Munich's historic old city petition hits target for referendum Jun 24, 2019
  • Jun 24, 2019 Munich, cycling backwater to cycling capital? Jun 24, 2019
• May 2019
  • May 8, 2019 Munich modernises but is it modernisation without joined-up thinking? May 8, 2019
  • May 5, 2019 Munich: carbon neutral or net zero? May 5, 2019
  • May 3, 2019 Munich also needs to declare a climate emergency – now May 3, 2019
• April 2019
  • Apr 20, 2019 Extinction Rebellion in pictures Apr 20, 2019
  • Apr 20, 2019 Extinction Rebellion comes to Munich Apr 20, 2019
  • Apr 17, 2019 Munich aims to sign up cyclists Apr 17, 2019
  • Apr 17, 2019 Munich Green Apr 17, 2019

• 
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  RT @BritishCycling: Cyclists aren’t the ‘scourge of the streets’. They are mothers, fathers, grandparents and children all doing their… https://t.co/DEYuaNlUYB

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:28 PM
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  Imagine how the map would look if Munich had a fully functional, safe and connected cycle network. https://t.co/76wMhGTWkg

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:23 PM
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Munich Green

Over the coming months, I will be writing blogs focusing on green issues, sustainability and a few other similar topics relating to Munich, whether citizens’ initiatives, new innovations or efforts by the city council.

If you think there is anything I have missed or should cover, please just let me know: info@paul-wheatley.eu

Bavarian television records young FridaysForFuture activists at Munich’s Marienplatz

• 
  Paul Wheatley

  RT @BritishCycling: Cyclists aren’t the ‘scourge of the streets’. They are mothers, fathers, grandparents and children all doing their… https://t.co/DEYuaNlUYB

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:28 PM
• 
  Paul Wheatley

  RT @krishgm: Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski doesn’t remember Wikileaks, thinks we’re having an election in two… https://t.co/BOjqH3wPLs

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:24 PM
• 
  Paul Wheatley

  Imagine how the map would look if Munich had a fully functional, safe and connected cycle network. https://t.co/76wMhGTWkg

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:23 PM
• 
  Paul Wheatley

  RT @mehdirhasan: Most UK news coverage of Muslims is negative, major study finds | News | The Guardian https://t.co/nsDFEpHFHX

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:17 PM
• 
  Paul Wheatley

  RT @istanbuljoel: King's College Professor @jdportes talking a great deal of sense about immigration with solid evidence and useful h… https://t.co/2InqBY4ByJ

  Jul 9, 2019, 10:14 PM

Follow @wheatleymunich