Earth-Burning-Movement: Lecture-occupation goes into the second week
The current energy crisis has overshadowed the fight against climate change. On Sunday, another climate conference in Sharm al-Sheikh ended without any significant progress. In order to set an example for climate justice and to call on politicians and universities to take action, a lecture hall at the University of Innsbruck WILL continue to be occupied.
INNSBRUCK. “We are currently experiencing an extremely dangerous development. In the course of the energy crisis, there is again a step towards more fossil fuels. This fuels the climate crisis even more and one crisis is solved at the expense of the other. We use the space to put pressure on.” so the activists of the earth-burning movement, which sees itself as part of the climate justice movement, which has chosen different forms of protest in many places. “‘It is important to us that the ideas, networks and the change that we set in motion here are carried beyond the university, which then has an effect in Tyrol, Austria and around the world,’ explains the squatters in an interview with the district newspapers. The first requirements are currently being worked out in lecture hall three of the humanities faculty. At the weekend, the Green National Councilor, Barbara Neßler, also visited the activists to discuss their goals with them. “I have respect for the activists who occupy the university and who fight for climate justice and therefore for nothing less than our future, for the survival of mankind. The issue needs attention because the earth is burning and unfortunately there are still too many who think you can put out the fire with a cup of water.
Demands, posters, lectures
In addition to the elaboration of the demands, the lecture hall was redesigned in the first few days. Self-designed posters were hung on the walls. A schedule shows topic-related lectures, workshops and panel discussions. The regular introductory seminar from the geography course takes place quite normally because it is topic-related. Apart from the fact that they all want to set an example for more climate justice, the group of squatters is heterogeneous. While some spend the night in the lecture hall, others are there for a few hours every now and then, as conversations with the squatters at the local inspection show. “We are also here because there is not enough awareness of the climate crisis at the university. You can study physics here without having to deal with the climate crisis. There is no place for climate justice at the university either, that’s ours too function here”, conclude the activists.
On Monday at 5 p.m. there will be a panel discussion on the subject of teaching in times of events for which several university professors have announced themselves.
You can find more news from Innsbruck here.
You might also be interested in:
COP27 ends with numerous unanswered questions