Sticking to asphalt, blocking access to the German parliament or storming an airport runway: the daily life of a climate activist is anything but boring.
Before the protest, some people quit their jobs and are retrained as climate glue. They can now live off the “Last Generation”.
Journalists from “Welt am Sonntag” were able to view documents and participate in online seminars. Their report shows how the climate sticklers recruit new employees to fight the climate crisis and even pay them a salary. Full-time climate gluers receive up to 1300 euros. Part-time work or self-employment should also be possible. The level of the salary depends on the needs of the activists.
According to the ‘last generation’, a large part of the income with which the activists are paid comes from the Climate Emergency Fund. The Californian foundation has set itself the goal of promoting “disruptive activism”. The organization’s board includes philanthropists such as Adam McKay and oil magnate Jean Paul Getty’s granddaughter Aileen.
The Swiss do not collect climate wages
The German climate activists are not the only climate group supported by the American foundation with donations. Renovate Switzerland can also look forward to the rain from the US, spokeswoman Cécile Bessire confirms to Blick. 20 percent of all Renovate revenue comes from California. The bulk, however, consisted of donations from private individuals.
According to Renovate’s spokeswoman, the Swiss climate activists do not receive a salary. The full-time volunteer activists would live off their savings, part-time radicals would have other employers.
Inconspicuous club apparently helping the ‘last generation’
The increasing professionalization of the group shows that the “last generation” can afford salaries. A working group was set up especially for the recruitment of employees. It bears the name «Last Generation Job Center». The institutions of the German Federal Employment Office are called employment offices. According to the report, the employment contracts for the German climate adhesives are issued by the inconspicuous association “Wandelbündnis”.
However, when asked by the “Welt am Sonntag”, the “change alliance” denies having received money from the “last generation”. However, there is an initiative within the association called “Non-profit educational work in support of the last generation”. Overall, the “change alliance” says it has 30 people on its payroll.