The catastrophic consequences of our actions for nature are now well known. Yet emissions continue to rise. Against the mantra of economic growth, the rallying cries of young activists often seem impotent. And while once masses could be mobilised in the name of freedom and equality, climate protection is leading to new divisions. Just think of the yellow vest protests in France.
For Bruno Latour and Nikolaj Schultz, it is clear that just as the working class once fought for social progress, it now takes an ecological class to stop climate change. Where movements like Fridays For Future and local organisations often act separately, the sociologists argue for a politics that puts the protection of our livelihoods at the centre of common efforts. The history of mankind, Marx and Engels said, is the history of class struggles. If an ecological class does not emerge, Latour and Schultz argue, humanity will have no future.