Climate activists are becoming increasingly radical

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The “Fridays for Future” protests got the ball rolling – and millions of people took to the streets. About 4.3 million people took part in the global climate strike in September 2019. But now the hype is waning. Only about 350,000 people were involved in the March 2023 global climate strike.

The organization is also losing relevance in the media, Spiegel reports. New organizations such as the “Last Generation” are taking their place. Whether pasting campaigns or smearing mashed potatoes on a painting: the sometimes bizarre campaigns of the last generation attract attention. A “Mirror” analysis of some 2.2 million articles shows that in April there were about 15 times more articles about the last generation than about Fridays for Future.

According to “Mirror’s” analysis, the new concept is simple: “Maximum attention through maximum disruption.”

A new era for climate activism?

There are also new groups in this country, such as Renovate Switzerland. The Swiss climate movement is demanding that the government declare a climate emergency and is calling for an emergency plan for the thermal renovation of all buildings by 2030. In April, activists taped themselves in front of the Gotthard tunnel. But why are such actions on the rise?

Sociologist Ueli Mader suspects in an interview with Blick: “The actions happen from a certain impotence.” If, despite numerous protests, there is a feeling that not enough is being done, tougher measures are taken.

Renovate’s media spokeswoman Cécile Bessire says: “Organizations like Renovate Switzerland and Last Generation show that the movement is maturing. Our organizations consciously use nonviolent action as a means to transform public discourse, while Fridays for Future was a more spontaneous and ephemeral movement.”

Radical actions are common sense

However, unlike Fridays for Future, Renovate’s campaigns cause misunderstanding and annoyance among many people. Climate stickers are described as radical and ridiculed, their actual message fades into the background.

Bessire still defends the actions: “They are radical in the sense that they correspond to common sense. If a theater is on fire, someone has to step up and disrupt the play to warn people. It’s inconvenient, but it’s common sense. The intention here is to preserve the public interest.” (Ms.)

Source: Blick