“It’s time for regular climate reporting on TV” – with these words, the “Climate Before Eight” initiative began last year. The campaign aims to change the ARD program “Borus vor Acheat”, which is designed for a very specific target group with a daily short format on the topic of climate. The lack of brief daily information about the best TV airtime is only a symptom of inadequate climate reporting by public broadcasters. Another problem is that – apart from superficial philanthropy for the future for Friday – there seems to be a lack of willingness for young people to deal consistently with political positions, namely the target group that affects the subject more than the decision-makers in broadcasters. .

Franco-German broadcaster Art has devised some measures in this regard in recent months. He set an example with the program “The European Collection”, to which the editors of ARD and ZDF also contributed. The focus was on the future of societies in Europe and how young people understand environmental and climate issues.

For example, in the film “The Battle of the Century”, the focus is on activists from the French group Alternatiba, and filmmakers Alizi Chiappini and Adele Flax discuss the rebellion’s actions to end and end the region. The film makes it clear that the situation in France is different in many ways: pictures of President Emmanuel Macron hang in more than 130 town halls at a protest in Alternatiba and for a brief period of time, and in Paris Another to block the Ministry of the Environment so that employees are denied access to their jobs. If activists did something similar in Germany, they would probably accuse those who are sympathetic to climate activists, at least microscopically, with a lack of respect for state symbols and institutions.

“The Battle of the Century” is notable because it honors the storm of open-cast lignite quarry through andigibe and other forms of resistance, at least of which German TV journalists normally keep distance. In 2019, in addition to the last ten minutes, “The Battle of the Century” was made and to this extent the film is also back at a time that seems far away to us, especially with a collective character For mass protests and rallies with pop concerts. atmosphere.

Symbolic politics with “unbearable spontaneity”

“And Now We! – A Generation hears alarms”, also part of “The European Collection”, Aline Abode presents other forms of climate policy engagements, including the Youth Council of Generation Foundation, a nonprofit company Pictures of members are also included. In addition, representatives of the relatively younger generation have nothing to do with climate activism, for example, the author of the right-wing blog “Axis des Guten” or an affiliate of “Les Junes avec macron”. The most instructive part of the film: Aboud brings a farmer from Schleswig-Holstein along with members of the youth council. Given the importance of equally radical climate reform in radical agricultural reform, it is important to focus on future debates on the subject that the agricultural system, which has been going in the wrong direction for decades, is not changing at the push of a button. Can be repaired. The comment made by the farmer makes this quite clear.