343
‘A new phase’: why climate activists are turning to sabotage instead of protest
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2025
343 points (99.1% liked)
Climate - truthful information about climate, related activism and politics.
5999 readers
405 users here now
Discussion of climate, how it is changing, activism around that, the politics, and the energy systems change we need in order to stabilize things.
As a starting point, the burning of fossil fuels, and to a lesser extent deforestation and release of methane are responsible for the warming in recent decades:
How much each change to the atmosphere has warmed the world:
Recommended actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the near future:
Anti-science, inactivism, and unsupported conspiracy theories are not ok here.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Because violence and sabotage brings attention
Not just attention, but increases risk so companies avoid such activities if they know the reward (dividend paid to shareholders) doesn't justify the risk (equipment being damaged, assets being burned)
Don't forget the cost of insurance. That's the big one. If it stops being possible to insure fossil fuel infrastructure, then investments shift to renewables that can be insured. It's pretty simple economic math.
Edit: that also works in all levels of the economy. Pipeline constitution vehicle get torched every time there's a pipeline built? Uninsurable therefore reduce or stop investment. Cas in cities always get flat tires and vandalized? People won't buy cars they can't insure.
Also insurance companies that provide insurance for such companies are themselves valid targets for direct actions to cause economic loss.
I'll be even more frank: because it's the only thing that works.
No it doesn't. You don't see protests in North Korea don't you?
Just because it's the only thing that works doesn't mean it works every time.
Also, WTF do "protests" have to do with anything? Protests aren't violence.
I'll point out even then violence is working - it's just that the violence comes from the government instead.