Last generation: Interview with Peter Denk: "People don't see the relation"

The donation was discussed in numerous media outlets - partly because Denk explained that he did not approve of the group's methods. We asked him what his motivation was and what changes he expects for the bicycle industry when it comes to sustainability.

TOUR: I assume there was a lot of hype after the news of your donation?

ThinkSurprisingly many - I wouldn't have expected that. Many people said: Oh dear, now you're going to get a lot of hate mail. But I've received extreme encouragement from actual people. Because apparently many people think like me: they don't like what the Last Generation is doing, but nobody can think of anything better. And at least the Last Generation is managing to raise awareness of the issue of climate change. I'm not very active on social media, but my Facebook account suddenly had 80 comments. Interestingly, all but a few of the hater comments were fake accounts: no photo, no friends, no data. So some nerds or fossil lobbyists.

TOUR: It was written that you donated 300,000 euros to the Last Generation?

ThinkI last donated 100,000 euros to the Last Generation. Over the years, however, it has been much more.

TOUR: There were discussions mainly because you also said that you didn't like the actions of the Last Generation. How does that fit together?

Think: This is an act of desperation because we have climate change and instead of reducing our CO2 emissions, 2022 was the year with the highest emissions ever (). This means that the budget we have left to emit CO2 is getting smaller every year. So that we will then trigger the tipping points. And when we reach the tipping points, there will be no turning back. It will be catastrophic: The food supply for the population in Europe will completely collapse. What I can't get my head round is: why are we representing the interests of oil sheikhs? The cheapest energy by far is solar and wind. Why don't we make Germany the world market leader in sustainable technology? It would be no problem if the politicians said it's our decision.

Last generation at sporting event

TOUR: Members of the Last Generation tried to sabotage the Berlin Marathon - ultimately also with your money. Do you support this?

ThinkPeople don't see the relation. It's all about the fact that there can still be a Berlin Marathon in the future. There is a total lack of activity in relation to the task at hand. In other words, we are heading straight towards the tipping point. But the parties are naturally afraid. If they are the only party to deliver this uncomfortable truth, they are afraid of being voted out of office. The only solution is for the major parties to tackle it together. The CDU must finally take what it likes to call homeland security seriously.

Are the actions of the Last Generation harming climate protection?

TOUR: Don't the actions of the Last Generation have exactly the opposite effect? Fewer votes for parties that want to strengthen climate protection?

ThinkWhat is quite clear is that they are now attracting a lot of hate - this is not a popularity contest. But what they are achieving is that they are all over the media and people are asking themselves: why are they doing this? Why do people write to me and say: great, finally someone is doing something. My statement that I condemn sticking on the streets but that we finally have to do something seems to resonate with an extremely large number of people. The conservative parties must finally stop pursuing a policy that brings oil companies billions in profits in the short term, but is extremely damaging to our economy and society in the medium term. There is no oil in Germany.

TOUR: You've been working in the bike industry for years - are there any areas where bike manufacturers could be pioneers?

ThinkIn general, they are already part of the solution to the problem: travelling by e-bike or bicycle is progress in itself. Nevertheless, we also have to ensure that our production is CO2-neutral in the future. There will come a point in five years at the latest when there will be alternatives in bike shops. You will then have the choice between brand X and brand Y bikes. I like both more or less - but bike X is sustainably produced. Sustainable products will boom. I suspect there will be a revival of aluminium frames made from recycled aluminium. And, of course, we need green carbon fibre produced using solar, wind and water power as soon as possible.

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TOUR: Many new products on the market sound like greenwashing. Shouldn't sold products in particular be used for longer - in other words, should they be refurbished like the US bike brand Trek?

ThinkThese are clearly arguments put forward by the oil lobby. The lobby wants us to believe that it's about doing without. It's all about too much consumption and that's how we have to solve it. But the oil companies are the ones causing the misery. Let's assume we do this: cut our consumption by 50 per cent in all areas. Then climate change will be just as severe, only delayed by a few years.

TOUR: I can't understand that, because a bike that I use for 30 years will always be better than if I buy a new bike every five years?

ThinkYes, it will always be better, but you won't be able to stop climate change. We have to change our energy supply. We have to produce this wheel - whether it takes five years or 30 - with green energy.

Politics instead of the last generation?

TOUR: You have lots of ideas and criticise politics - would you like to go into politics?

ThinkNo. My job is to work as an engineer, to finance certain things, perhaps to provide food for thought. Why are we running into this catastrophe with our eyes wide open? And why are we representing the interests of oil companies and oil sheikhs?

TOUR: Who represents the interests of oil sheikhs? Our Economics Minister Robert Habeck, a green minister?

ThinkOf course our politicians are not paid, but they are influenced by hundreds of oil lobbyists. Electric cars, heat pumps and so on - the same untrue counter-arguments keep coming up. The gas lobby has spent an absurd amount of money on a campaign against heat pumps. It's the richest industry in the world and now we want to question their business model.

TOUR: Back to the bicycle industry: what do you think needs to change?

Denk: I think the next step in the bicycle industry will be to use recycled aluminium and sustainable energy. A lot is happening with bicycle tyres and if we can also produce gear components using CO2-free energy, that would be a big step forward.

* Note: In 2022, carbon dioxide emissions in Germany fell by 15 million tonnes or around 1.9% to 666 million tonnes of carbon dioxide compared to 2021. Compared to 1990, carbon dioxide emissions have fallen by 36.8 %. However, a new global record was set.
Source: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/daten/klima/treibhausgas-emissionen-in-deutschland/kohlendioxid-emissionen#kohlendioxid-emissionen-2022