Man against machine – Coal, climate and the future

Eckardt Heukamp is the last resident of Lützerath, challenging the energy giant that wants to dig a huge open-cast lignite mine beside his farm. While other Lützerath residents have accepted the compensation and moved elsewhere, Heukamp is determined to stay where he has always been. He’s firmly digging his heels in and ready for a David-and-Goliath battle – one that has made global headlines.

Heukamp has even received a visit from the young environmentalist Greta Thunberg, underscoring the issue’s relevance. Meanwhile, Germany’s new government, which includes the Green party, aims to phase out lignite-based electricity earlier than planned. The farmer sees this as a strong move that gives him hope. But he has no plan whatsoever to demolish his property and vacate the land he calls home. This intertwining case of hope and resistance from an individual farmer has prompted a report by Miodrag Soric, giving viewers an eye-opening account of the fight for a sustainable future.