Go vote: It is the final countdown

This weekend there are the elections of the European Parliament. This parliament is going to govern for the next 5 years: This is a significant amount of the time that we still have to act in order to stop the climate catastrophe. Thus, I decided to write this open letter, to you, my fellow human beings. We must not lose more time. We have to act: Now.

Image: Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf, Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0

My dear fellow human beings,

the climate catastrophe (a.k.a. global warming) is irreversibly changing our globe and destroying the basis of life of all lifeforms: Including us, human beings.

Scientists have predicted the devastating consequences of our behaviour and political policies and demanded change for years. Their predictions are proven right by reality. The climate catastrophe is hitting our globe (actually even quicker and harder) as predicted.

Nevertheless, leading politicians and economical figures act against and neglect all evidence. They optimize short term earnings and hope and argue that in the end it will not be “as bad” or that “technology will solve the problem”. This policy of hoping, wishing and waiting is going to irreversibly harm our planet and thus: Us, our friends, our beloved ones, our fellow human beings and all the other wonderful and diverse lifeforms of our unique planet.

We must not lose more time. We have to act now. As individuals and as a society.

Thus, I consider it to be my duty, as a human being, and as your fellow human being, to act and to protect our globe and thus our basis of life. Therefore, I consider it to be my duty do demand change from my political representatives. I consider it to be my duty not to vote for political parties that fail to act and to protect our basis of life.

I urge you, please, go and vote at the European Parliament election this weekend. This parliament is going to govern for the next 5 years, this is a significant amount of the time that we still have to stop the climate catastrophe. I urge you to give your vote for a party that does actively demand and engage in acting against the climate catastrophe. (The CDU, AfD, FDP and SPD in Germany decisively do not.) I urge you, talk to your kids, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other fellow human beings and explain them, how their vote is important for your and their future.

I urge you, please go and demand, loud, colourful and non-violently for change from your political representatives. Tomorrow, Friday 24th of 2019 there will be protests organised by “Fridays for Future” all over Europe. Join them, give the protest your voice and your face! Find your demonstration in Germany or in another country.

I know, that it is uncommon to speak out loudly and to ask to not give your vote for a certain political party, but our actions are disastrous. There is many political problems like distribution of wealth, international relations or the raise and unrestricted usage of artificial intelligence we all can have our opinions about and it is worth arguing about, but the climate catastrophe and how we counteract, is about our existence. You can not argue with reality. There is no room to negotiate. I want to be able to still face myself in ten years (yes, this is how quickly things will go bad) and be able to say: I did my best.

We only have one planet. There is no second chance.

Your fellow human being,
Lukas