Under the slogan #PeopleNotProfit, the organisations hope to shed more light on a “capitalist framework that prioritises economic growth and profit over everything, including human lives,” YFCL’s Sarah Muller tells Delano. For the youth group, governments--through their lack of concrete action--are complicit in fuelling the climate crisis. The Luxembourg finance sector, with the second largest fund industry in the world, and the pension fund (FDC)--which has investments in energy providers operating nuclear power stations among its portfolio--are the main targets of next Friday’s march. One of the on the group’s website states, “Luxembourg is not too small to make a difference: tax evasion and fossil fuel investments need to be stopped.”
The FDC’s investment strategy is , with former social security minister Romain Schneider stating in August 2021 that by the end of 2023, the FDC plans for all of its sub-funds to be managed under environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria.
“We demand that [the government’s] policies and actions align with the Paris Agreement. We demand that it makes carbon neutrality until 2030 one of its goals,” Muller explains. For the organisation, it’s out of question to point an accusatory finger at individuals. Instead, “it is the government’s responsibility to guide individuals and businesses in our combined fight against the climate crisis. This includes raising awareness on a national level, subsidies, and penalties.”
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Last year, in an open letter to the government and prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP), YFCL demanded the state plead guilty to undertaking insufficient action against climate change. In 2020, six young Portuguese activists had filed a complaint against 33 countries before the European Court of Human Rights. Like other organisations--including Doctors without Borders (MSF)--they highlight the fact that contributing to climate change was a direct attack on human rights. YCFL says Luxembourg should acknowledge this.
And it’s not just young people that are invested in the cause. Though set up by youths between the ages of 14 and 24, the strike welcomes participants of all ages and backgrounds. When the protest was announced, “people reacted very positively,” says Muller. She adds that alongside the rise of new young activists, older people showed support as well.
When asked how the youth initiative manages to maintain the energy to demand change, Muller says: “we try to spread a message of hope, all is not lost.” For her, it’s essential to keep going, as drastic changes are possible. “The pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine have shown how adaptable we as a society are to changes.”
However, as she puts it, in the end, “we are not professionals, we are not policy makers, That’s the government’s responsibility.”
YFCL and Greenpeace Luxembourg will start their protest at 2pm on 25 March at the place de Clairefontaine. The group will set out in front of the ministry of finance before finishing their route at the FDC building located on Boulevard Prince Henri. More information on the event can be found .