Jonas Linde and a few hundred other Swedish activists are blocking traffic in Berlin to raise awareness of their climate demands. At the central junction Grosser Stern, traffic at all five entrances has been stopped.

- The goals set by the governments of Germany and Sweden are not enough. We cannot pass this on to the next generation. Then it will be too late, says Jonas Linde to SVT News.

Non-violent

The movement wants some countries to introduce zero emissions earlier - as early as 2025 - so that other nations have more time to change. Extinction Rebellion uses non-violence and civil disobedience as methods of putting pressure. All week, blockades and demonstrations will take place in Berlin, London, New York and other major cities.

- We continue to build on the historical societal changes that have occurred with the help of civil disobedience, in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Rosa Park. Illegal methods are also necessary, says Jonas Linde.

Jonas Linde is one of the protesters from Sweden who is now implementing blockades in Berlin to put pressure on politicians to accelerate climate action. Photo: Private

He is studying human ecology at Lund University and has traveled to Berlin to participate in blockades, meetings and lectures.

Do you distrust representative democracy?

- No, but the current system has not been able to save us from the crisis. That is why we want the strength democracy with a citizens' council that is independent and has a more long-term perspective than politicians who are elected for a short time and dare not go far enough to stop the mass extinction of species and the climate crisis, he says.

More actions are planned

Today's traffic blocks in Berlin will be followed by actions in several major cities throughout the week.