Climate action doesn't seem to be a priority for Germany — despite heat-related deaths and drought. Why aren't more people taking to the streets?

Despite Germany experiencing 12,500 heat-related deaths in 2026 and facing severe drought, the federal government seems disinterested in climate action. Heat-related deaths and wildfires have devastated villages and farmland, yet the government has not convened a heat summit to address the crisis. The Last Generation activist group, which once protested for greater climate action, has largely ceased their demonstrations due to hostility and legal consequences.

Instead, Fridays for Future Germany (FFF) movement criticizes the government's lack of comprehensive climate protection policies, citing short-term fixes like dredging the Rhine or lifting the Sunday driving ban for trucks. Despite 80% of Germans expressing concern about climate change, only a few hundred protesters demonstrated outside the chancellery in Berlin - a stark contrast to the hundreds of thousands who protested in 2019.

The rise of hateful speech online against climate activists and the influence of far-right political parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD) further discourage people from joining climate protests. Additionally, large organizations like Fridays for Future have fragmented into numerous local groups, operating out of the public eye.

While Chancellor Friedrich Merz dismisses climate policy, German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider seeks to amend the constitution to make heat protection a shared responsibility. However, the coalition partner opposes the plan due to legal concerns. The competition for attention, fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and economic concerns, has overshadowed climate issues.

As a result, many climate activists have shifted their focus to other topics, such as the war in Gaza and solidarity with Palestine.