Mobility transition in Munich: protests against IAA and climate goals in focus!

Mobility transition in Munich: protests against IAA and climate goals in focus!

From today on, everything in Munich revolves around the mobility transition. The Mobility Transition Camp will take place from September 9th to 14th, 2025, parallel to the International Motor Show (IAA). Organized by climate movement initiatives, the camp is intended to provide space for discussions and strategies to counter the challenges of climate destruction and militarization. Given the current situation in the German auto industry, which is under enormous pressure - there is a threat of panic closures and thousands of jobs are at risk - the discussion about the future of mobility becomes all the more urgent. The Class against Class reports on ruling voices that are calling for the planned ban on combustion engines to be abandoned.

While the German car manufacturers are presenting their new models at the IAA, the discussion about emissions regulations is also in full swing. The voice of political decision-makers such as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder is becoming increasingly louder, increasing the pressure to relax the strict rules. The president of the automobile industry association argues that the population is not yet ready to give up combustion engines. However, critics of these developments warn that such actions endanger climate goals and significantly hinder the necessary transition to better public transport and the use of renewable energy.

A political change is necessary

The EU has already set a clear course with the planned phase-out of combustion engines from 2035. Part of the EU “Fit for 55” package of measures is the planned transition from fossil fuel to emission-free drive technologies. However, this development is jeopardized by the inadequate charging infrastructure and the possibility of e-fuels, which can be seen as a loophole for combustion engines. Germany aims to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045, while the transport sector will already account for 22% of total emissions by 2023 - mainly from diesel and petrol consumption.

The Climate Protection Act stipulates that transport emissions will be reduced to 84 million tonnes by 2030, although forecasts from the Federal Environment Agency show that this target could still be a long way off. In general, the transport sector has increased its share of greenhouse gas emissions by seven percent since 1990. In order to achieve the change towards sustainable mobility, measures to electrify cars and commercial vehicles and improve the infrastructural conditions must be urgently pushed forward. These findings will also be discussed in the mobility transition camp.

Mobility transition camp as a platform for dialogue

In the mobility transition camp, actors from the climate movement meet with members of the radical left to develop common strategies. The goal is to connect the struggles of workers in the industry with the demands for climate justice. On September 13th there will be a large protest demonstration under the motto #noIAA to draw attention to the challenges that the topicality of the topic brings with it. In addition, a lecture entitled “The crisis of the automobile industry and the tasks of the revolutionary left” is planned for September 14th.

At a time when transport producers are responsible for around a fifth of greenhouse gases in Germany, it is clear that the mobility transition is not just an issue for a few. It affects each and every one of us - and there is still time to set the right course for a sustainable future. The question remains: Are we ready to actively shape these changes?