Greenpeace members swim against coal

Some 100 members of Greenpeace’s youth branch swam in the Spree river in the heart of Berlin yesterday to call attention to the need for more climate protection.“We are demanding a withdrawal from coal by 2030,” said Jonathan Kurz, a spokesman for Greenpeace’s youth organisation, adding that it is an issue that directly affects the future of young people.Banners in the water contained slogans that read “Don’t let our future drown” and “Coal doesn’t turn me on”.An inflatable globe was pulled along the Spree as part of the protests, bobbing along as the demonstrators swam some 500m in the 16° Celsius water.Germany’s current coalition government is set to nail down a specific date for the country to discontinue coal production later this year.Greenpeace accuses the German government of stalling for years on the issue of climate protection.