Dutch researcher JOOST de Moor, assistant professor in political science at Sciences Po Paris, has analyzed in several studies the relationship to the time of activists for the climate.
words collected by Audrey Garric
Friday, March 3, young people were invited to demonstrate on the occasion of a world of world strike for the climate organized by Fridays for future, the movement launched by Greta Thunberg in 2018. Dutch researcher Joost de Moor, professor Assistant in Political Science at Sciences Po Paris, analyzed in several studies The relationship to the time of climate activists, and in particular the tension between the feeling that it is too late and the continuation of the action.
What assessment of the climate movement in recent years?
Movements, in particular Fridays for future and Rebellion extinction, have the merit of having led a large number of activists to be interested in climate policy, and often in fairly radical forms of it, even If there is recently a decline in mobilization levels. After the COVID-19, only the most experienced activists tended to return to the street. They diversified their targets and their tactics.
More broadly, the movement has made people aware of climate change. At European level, he also contributed to registering the climate question for the political agenda, which made it possible, with other factors, to lead to the Green Deal [European Policy aimed at achieving carbon neutrality for 2050] and on Victories for certain political parties, such as the Greens in Germany. However, in other countries, such as the United Kingdom or Sweden, climate change has hardly weighed during the recent elections. Climate activists have also obtained the adoption of climate emergency declarations, but they have hardly had an impact. In general, despite some important steps in the right direction, emissions continue to increase.
But we must be realistic about what we can expect from climate movements. They can be an important part of the puzzle, by creating the necessary conditions for the transformations to occur, but they cannot be the Saviors of Humanity alone. The elites and the masses must also be actively involved.
Does this movement manage to define a clear strategy?
globally, the climate movement shares certain fundamental visions of a desirable future: ensuring a fair distribution of costs and the fight against climate change, supporting indigenous communities in their protection of nature, finding a meaning Beyond consumerism, etc. However, very few activists seem to know how to achieve it, which often inspires them a feeling of fatalism and despair. It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism.
You have 54.13% of this article to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.