Climate protection in danger: Germany's responsibility for the future!

Climate protection in danger: Germany's responsibility for the future!

Things have become quiet in German politics around the pressing issue of climate protection. While many citizens are confronted with heat waves, storms and floods, there is often no political response. The climate protection index has now dropped Germany by six places, which illustrates the alarming consequences of climate change. The time to act is dwindling, and it may soon be too late - especially for tropical coral reefs, which were already severely affected in autumn 2025. In its statement on “climate justice” in 2024, the German Ethics Council stated that not only current actions but also their consequences for the future are of central importance. This position calls for a fair approach to climate change, both within society and internationally.

But what does a fair distribution of the burdens and benefits of climate change look like? In essence, intergenerational justice is considered particularly important. Pursuing your own interests is far from enough. Rather, the responsibility of the current generation towards future generations is also emphasized. Climate change research shows that the benefits of emissions-generating activities – such as driving or producing goods – mainly accrue to today's population, while the resulting damage will primarily affect future generations. A project from Graz is dedicated to exactly this topic and analyzes how basic needs can be promoted while taking intergenerational justice into account.

Climate justice and its dimensions

Climate justice encompasses diverse dimensions such as distributive justice, restorative justice and procedural justice. The question of the fair distribution of emissions reductions is often the focus of international climate negotiations. The Paris Climate Agreement calls for a differentiation in the responsibilities of countries. Poorest countries, which have significantly lower emissions per capita, often suffer the most from the consequences of climate change, while the richest 10% of the population in countries like Germany are responsible for a significant share of emissions.

In this debate it is essential to also shed light on the social aspects. Carla Reemtsma from Fridays for Future calls the climate crisis a social justice crisis because every natural disaster has unequal impacts. Certain population groups often suffer more, as shown by the example of Hurricane Katrina, where poor African-American communities faced particular difficulties. Fair climate protection must therefore also take into account compensation mechanisms in order to minimize social hardship and distribute the burden of climate protection measures fairly.

The responsibility of the state and individuals

A key concern in the current discussion is the state's responsibility to create clear legal frameworks that promote climate-friendly action. It should not be forgotten that financial support is essential for the most affected groups, who generally contribute less to climate change. One proposal is to pay out climate money that should benefit all citizens, including children. The aim is to relieve the burden on families and at the same time strengthen individual responsibility for climate protection.

In this context, personal decisions must also be given greater weight. Everyone has the opportunity to make a contribution to climate protection based on their individual resources. The discussion about climate friendliness should not only be limited to the large political level, but should also start with every individual.

In conclusion, the challenges of climate change need to be addressed urgently. The increasing awareness of intergenerational justice and the social dimension of the climate crisis are steps in the right direction. However, the pressure to act remains high to protect both current and future generations and to ensure that basic needs can still be met tomorrow.

For further information and background information on this topic, these links are helpful: NOZ, University of Graz and BPB.