Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, second left, joins youths from Portugal during a demonstration outside the European Court of Human Rights Tuesday, April 9, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. Europe’s highest human rights court will rule Tuesday on a group of landmark climate change cases aimed at forcing countries to meet international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
It’s easy to get caught up in the myths about climate activism, particularly in today’s polarized political environment. So, let’s take a moment to explore the truth about three of the big myths being told about climate activism and the climate movement today.
Over the past 25 years, I have surveyed numerous waves of activists participating in demonstrations and protests to understand who they are and what motivates them to participate in activism. My new book, Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action, brings these findings together to understand how the climate movement has evolved along with the climate crisis.
Many activists are involved with established organizations, such as 350.org, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Their numbers—EDF alone claims 3 million supporters—and financial strength can give them a powerful voice. Nonviolent civil disobedience in the climate movement also plays an important role in keeping climate change in the media and on people’s minds.