Fridays for Future
Fridays For Future (FFF) emerged as a response from young people to the governments’ lack of interest in the climate emergency, thanks to the strikes led by the well-known Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Since 2018, the protests have gradually gained more participants. The demonstrations consist of peaceful marches, primarily composed of students who demand politicians to take action as soon as possible to fulfill the agreements made, particularly the Paris Agreement (2015), which aimed to limit the maximum global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Among the immediate consequences of the most participated marches was increased media attention on the protests and the environmental crisis, leading some cities and nations to declare the state of climate emergency. The first country to do so was the United Kingdom, where the House of Commons approved the motion proposed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on May 1, 2019. While non-binding, this gesture held significant symbolic value.
FFF has extensively utilized social media to unite young people from around the world in a common cause, starting with the online spread of photos of Greta protesting alone in front of the Swedish parliament, to images of the massive protests involving millions of people. By sharing their experiences on social platforms, participants have been able to connect virtually with their peers on the other side of the globe, creating an international community working towards the same goals in different locations.
During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, social media played a crucial role as well. The protests did not stop but transitioned to platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Using the hashtag #climatestrikeonline, Greta encouraged protesters to continue their activism from home, to protect vulnerable individuals. These restrictions prompted many activists to explore new social media platforms like TikTok to raise awareness about climate change.
Extinction Rebellion: same goals, different methods
Another movement that originated in England in May 2018 is Extinction Rebellion (XR), whose symbol is an hourglass, symbolizing the need to act urgently before the ongoing changes become irreversible. Compared to FFF, XR is a more radical movement that engages in acts of civil disobedience as a form of non-violent protest.
XR is known for its protests that disrupt traffic flow: activists sit on the ground with signs, blocking cars from passing through. Recently, a new method of protest has been adopted: gluing themselves to works of art in museums. On the morning of October 9th, in Australia, two activists superglued their hands to a Picasso painting titled Massacre in Korea. Since the painting was protected by glass, it did not suffer any damage. The two protesters were aged 49 and 59, proving that these protests involve individuals of various age groups. Actions such as these are aimed at raising awareness, stimulating debate, but also creating discomfort—a controversial tool for grabbing attention.
Starting in January 2023, activists announced a change in direction. For the new year, the group intends to discontinue strategies involving public disruption. «WE QUIT!» were the opening words of the tweet in which XR shared this new resolution. The specific reasons for this decision have not been disclosed, but it may be related to XR’s declining popularity following more impactful protests.
Regarding social media, XR tends to primarily use Telegram, a platform that offers users greater privacy and does not feature monetized advertisements. Personalized ads on social networks often encourage consumerism, which is seen as contributing to the planet’s environmental damage.
Local or global, it’s important to act
In addition to demonstrations against governments, there are other types of movements that have focused on local contexts. One example is Venice Calls, an association dedicated to protecting Venice, a city that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The association undertakes concrete projects, such as the establishment of a Recycling Lab, a laboratory for recycling that will produce useful items for the community. Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, they have raised enough funds to purchase materials for recycling plastics, including a granulator, an extruder, and molds. The first project, scheduled for spring 2023, involves creating a bench made from plastic caps collected by members during lagoon cleanup efforts.
Faced with the threat of environmental disaster, these young people have not let fear discourage them and have chosen to take action to avoid being prisoners of eco-anxiety. Whether it’s local or international projects, getting involved helps combat fear and nurture hope, as emphasized by the words spoken by Greta Thunberg at the Cop26 in Glasgow:
«We can no longer allow the powerful to decide what hope is. Hope is not passive, it is not “blah, blah, blah.” Hope is speaking the truth, it is acting. And hope always comes from people.»
Literature graduated (UniMi), she is currently studying Environmental Humanities (UniVe). Hungry for stories, she loves writing about the environment and being provoked by people’s ideas. Determined and thorough, she likes to go beyond the apparent superficiality of facts. Her safe place is the library, but don’t be fooled: she is never punctual in returning books.
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