Dynamiken des Klimakonflikts: Eskalation, Gegeneskalation und De-Eskalation seit Fridays for Future und der Letzten Generation

Conflicts about climate action have persisted in Germany despite other crises. Research on this conflict is still emerging and requires constant updates as the situation continues to evolve. Currently, there is a strong focus on the climate movement and individual protest groups. This paper shifts the analytical approach by applying conflict theory to the quarrels over climate action since the rise of Fridays for Future. Analyzing a rich corpus of documents, the paper provides three key contributions: First, it reconstructs the conflict dynamics over time across multiple groups, linking conflict developments to mechanisms of escalation and de-escalation (e.g., organization and exhaustion of solidarity, alliances, and resources). Second, the paper highlights counterescalation dynamics with crucial impact on conflict development. Finally, accounting for counter- and de-escalation dynamics helps to explain the strategic shifts of groups such as Fridays for Future and the Last Generation. Overall, this paper advocates for a broader approach to the struggles about climate action that is grounded in conflict theory. It explores its potential using an extensive document review and outlines new directions for future research. Notably, conflict theory also provides a framework that can bridge research on protests and climate obstruction.