Can radical protest be effective?

TEMA#8 - Climate disobedience

Civil disobedience has become an emotive word in the past year. Climate terrorism, rebellion, radicalisation: increasingly violent words are being thrown around in the debate on climate activism. Is this a sign of urgency or already of hopelessness? When no one seems to listen to you, when nothing changes on a large scale and you feel that your own climate-conscious actions are just a drop in the ocean - what does that do to you? Some have not even recognised the problem of man-made environmental damage, some have already given up, and yet there is a small - and increasingly vocal - community that keeps holding the pressure high. That fights on all fronts, blocks, resists and disobeys. Because it is not okay with humanity simply accepting the demise of the world. What drives radical climate activists across Europe? What makes them risk their own integrity for their desire to draw attention to the cause? And what means do they use to reach politics, economics and the average citizen?

We were able to realize this project with the support of the Local Cross-border Journalism grant programme through Journalismfund Europe.

Clara S Thompson Daniel Harper & Hylkje Kroon 29/04/2023 Clara S Thompson Daniel Harper & Hylkje Kroon 29/04/2023

Radical climate protests: Stories of success or failure?

Across Europe, radical climate activism is on the rise. Climate activists organise sit-in blockades, stick themselves to streets and oil plants, or create activist art events. They all have one thing in common: They want to end the fossil fuel status quo and force politicians to act, but, usually, their actions lead to nothing but criticism and public outrage. But is their protest pointless?

Daniel Harper 15/04/2023 Daniel Harper 15/04/2023

From Barcelona to the world - How a student occupation changed university policy

In November, Elena, Lorenzo, Felipe and their fellow students occupied the University of Barcelona to fight for stronger action against climate change. Talking to them, TEMA author Daniel Harper reveals how their actions showed what could be possible for climate activism - also beyond Barcelona

Hylkje Kroon 08/04/2023 Hylkje Kroon 08/04/2023

Scrubbing down the art industry

In Drenthe, one of the Netherland’s smaller provinces with around half a million inhabitants, the 55-years-old activist Conny Darwinkel is fighting an ongoing mission against the fossil sponsor of the Drents Museum in Assen. Together with "Extinction Rebellion Drenthe" her strategy is "chafing" and nagging until the oily sponsorship stops. A recipe for success or just another annoying incident for the museum?

Clara S Thompson 01/04/2023 Clara S Thompson 01/04/2023

Three months in prison: on challenges of anti-coal protest in East Germany

In Cottbus, Germany, protests against coal are clashing with a lack of prospects for post-coal employment. However, a group of climate activists are sure that blocking coal power plants will still work to achieve their goal of climate protection.