Last generation climate activists have called on the federal government to set up a “social council”.

"The government has failed across the board on the issue of the climate catastrophe," said Jakob Beyer, a spokesman for the group.

Even the "smallest measures" for which the group took to the streets, such as a speed limit or discounted local transport, were not implemented.

In doing so, the federal government is violating the constitution.

Beyer spoke out on Monday because his group's first blockade action took place exactly a year ago.

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“We respect the democratic rule of law and will not move outside of it.

Democracy just has to become more democratic," Beyer continued.

If the federal government is interested in solutions that would do justice to future generations, it should convene a social council.

By lottery in the company council

According to the group's plans, the members of the council are to be selected by drawing lots from the broader population.

The Council should then develop measures to make Germany climate-neutral by 2030.

Germany should no longer emit any emissions by 2030, a circular economy should be introduced and agriculture must become “climate positive”.

The Federal Government should undertake to implement the measures developed by the Council.

The idea is not entirely new.

The coalition agreement of the traffic light parties also provides for citizen councils.

"We will set up and organize citizens' councils to deal with specific issues in the Bundestag.

We will pay attention to equal participation.

It will be ensured that the Bundestag deals with the results," the document says.

What is new is the idea that the government that emerges from elections could be obliged to put into practice the ideas developed by randomly selected citizens.

"We can no longer be ignored"

Carla Hinrichs, another spokeswoman for the group, defended criticism of her actions: “Sticking it to the street has achieved something, because we can no longer be ignored.

We initiated a massive political discourse, we were discussed in the Bundestag.” The Last Generation announced that it would expand its protests from February 6th.

"We will take the protest to every city, to every village," said Aimée van Baalen, another spokeswoman for the group.

The activists want to continue sticking themselves to the streets in 2023, blocking traffic.

The climate activists of the British branch of the group Extinction Rebellion announced earlier this year that they would abandon this form of protest.

The last generation also wants to remain “creative”, and disruptions to oil or gas pipelines are also being considered.

The activists rejected questions about possible radicalization.

There was an "irrefutable consensus" in the group that there was no violence against people, either in word or in deed.

People who did not comply would not be allowed to take part in the Last Generation protests.