Kiera Jefferson
People protest pollution for a variety of reasons, with environmental pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss being among the most pressing existential threats to humankind and human rights. Protests have taken many forms, including peaceful mass protests, marches, sit-ins, school strikes, public petitions, boycotts, and climate litigation. People have protested against water pollution, air pollution, and plastic pollution, with a particular focus on the role of governments and corporations in addressing these issues. Environmental justice is also a key aspect of the protests, with communities of color and marginalized communities often bearing the brunt of the impacts of pollution and environmental racism.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Protest Methods | Blocking streets, motorways, railway tracks, construction sites, and airport runways, sit-ins, slow walking, locking or gluing oneself to places, cars, or other people, interrupting public events, defacing art, and public monuments, petitions, boycotts, strikes, climate litigation, flash mobs, and bicycle actions |
| Protesters | Environmental defenders and activists, students, residents, communities of color, Black, Latine, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, Indigenous People, farmers, and climate activists |
| Protest Locations | Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Romania, India, Chicago, Houston, West Harlem, New York City, and Warren County |
| Protest Causes | Environmental pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, sewage discharge into bodies of water, poisoned drinking water, air pollution, plastic pollution, fossil fuel extraction, and environmental racism |
| Protest Targets | Water companies, governments, the Thai government, the UK government, the US government, and the Dutch government |
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What You'll Learn
Water pollution
People have been protesting water pollution in various ways, with a particular focus on sewage pollution by water companies. In the UK, for instance, there have been protests against sewage discharges into rivers and the sea, with people refusing to pay their water bills in response to the sewage crisis. In May 2023, thousands of Britons took part in a "paddle-out" protest at 12 locations across the UK, including Brighton, Windermere, Plymouth, and Edinburgh, demanding an end to sewage pollution by water companies. This protest was organised by campaign groups such as Surfers Against Sewage and Ocean Activists. Similar sentiments have been expressed by surfers and families in the UK, who have voiced their frustration with water companies over poisoned drinking water and polluted lakes.
In addition to protests against sewage pollution, there have also been calls for governments to tackle water pollution more broadly. In November 2024, the March for Clean Water brought together 8,000 people from across the UK, urging the government to enforce laws that tackle water pollution and ensure that polluting industries upgrade their infrastructure and reduce water wastage. Nature broadcaster Chris Packham joined the march in central London, criticising the government's budget for not mentioning nature and calling for politicians to put the planet first.
Protesters have employed various tactics to raise awareness and exert pressure on decision-makers. These include nonviolent direct actions such as blocking streets, motorways, and construction sites; refusing to pay water bills; and participating in public demonstrations, marches, and sit-ins. Environmental activists have also targeted cultural institutions, protesting in museums and art galleries and using paint or food to make their statements.
The protests against water pollution reflect a growing global awareness of the environmental and health impacts of pollution. People are demanding more decisive and ambitious government action to address these issues, and they are utilising their right to peaceful assembly to make their voices heard.
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Air pollution
One of the primary concerns regarding air pollution is its impact on human health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution can lead to various diseases, including lung disease, heart disease, strokes, and cancer. It is estimated to cause 7 million deaths each year, with 543,000 of those being children under five who die from respiratory diseases linked to air pollution. Air pollution also negatively affects children's neurodevelopment and has been linked to behavioral disorders.
People have taken to the streets worldwide to demand clean air, with campaigns such as #CleanAirNow and #BeatAirPollution gaining traction. Greenpeace, an environmental organization, has been actively involved in raising awareness and campaigning for clean air. Their efforts include flash mobs, bicycle actions, and collaborating with other organizations to address specific issues, such as their work in Thailand and Romania.
In Thailand, Greenpeace partnered with other organizations to call on the Thai government to take urgent steps to combat PM2.5 levels in the country's air. They are also part of the Thailand Solar Fund project, which aims to install solar panels on hospital rooftops, support renewable energy, and reduce carbon emissions. In Romania, Greenpeace activists protested in four critical places in Bucharest: the energy sector, the construction sector, the waste sector, and traffic, all of which contribute significantly to air pollution.
Protests against air pollution have also taken place in other parts of the world, including Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. Protesters have employed various tactics, such as blocking streets, motorways, and railway tracks, to demand more resolute government action on issues related to the environment, health, and climate change.
While these protests have been largely peaceful, activists often face repression, criminalization, and stigmatization. There is a growing call for public authorities and private businesses to include environmental organizations and communities in decision-making processes related to laws, policies, and projects that impact the environment. It is hoped that by working together, we can create a healthier and more sustainable future for all.
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Environmental racism
> any policy, practice, or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (where intended or unintended) individuals, groups, or communities based on race.
The environmental justice movement, which developed in the 1970s and 1980s, was a response to environmental racism, with grassroots organizations bringing attention to the issue and emphasizing the importance of minority input in policymaking. Protests and demonstrations have been a key feature of this movement, with civil rights leaders converging on Afton, North Carolina, in 1983, to march against the placement of a waste site in a low-income community of color.
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Government inaction
Protests against government inaction on pollution have been a regular feature of news headlines, particularly during the annual United Nations climate change conferences (COPs). These protests have been driven by growing frustration and a sense of powerlessness, especially among younger generations, who feel that their governments are not doing enough to address the impending climate crisis.
One of the main issues concerning government inaction on pollution is the lack of regulation and enforcement to tackle the harmful impacts of nitrogen pollution. Successive governments have failed to address the dangerous health, environmental, and economic consequences of nitrogen pollution. Nitrogen, while an essential element, can form deadly pollutants when combined with other elements, contributing to premature deaths and damaging aquatic life, habitats, plants, and wildlife.
In the UK, for example, Oxford Street in London often breaches the annual legal EU limit for nitrogen dioxide, and the 'Dieselgate' scandal involving Volkswagen vehicles in the 2010s led to an estimated 16,000 extra premature deaths in the country. The UK government has also faced criticism for its response to water pollution, with water companies refusing to disclose data on sewage discharges into bodies of water like Windermere, leading to protests demanding clean water as a basic human right.
Similarly, in El Salvador, the government's decision to reverse a ban on metal mining to protect water sources has sparked protests from environmental activists. In Thailand, Greenpeace has called on the government to urgently address air pollution, particularly PM2.5 levels, through initiatives like the Thailand Solar Fund project, which aims to install solar panels on hospital rooftops and reduce carbon emissions.
Protesters have employed various nonviolent direct action tactics, such as blocking traffic, sit-ins, and interrupting public events, to demand more decisive and ambitious government action on climate change and environmental pollution. They argue that cracking down on peaceful protests is counterproductive and that genuine social dialogue and concrete solutions are needed to address the climate emergency effectively.
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Fossil fuel extraction
Climate activists have taken to the streets globally to demand an end to the use of fossil fuels and a transition to renewable energy sources. In January 2023, Greta Thunberg joined thousands of protesters in Lützerath, Germany, who were blockading a village set to be demolished to make way for an opencast coal mine. Thunberg was forcibly removed by German police, which sparked further protests. A "cease and desist" letter signed by over 650,000 people was sent to oil and gas CEOs, accusing them of violating human rights by blocking the transition to clean energy and causing climate change.
On September 13, 2024, climate activists mobilized across more than 50 countries, calling for a fast, fair, and funded phase-out of fossil fuels. This Global Week of Action for a Fossil-Free Future included over 150 events, with a particular focus on Africa and Asia. Protesters targeted coal-fired power plants and the expansion of new coal projects, demanding compliance with the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise.
The protests have been met with mixed responses. While some support the right to peaceful protest and demand government action, others view these actions as disruptive and criminalize the protesters. Activists argue that repression will only strengthen their resolve and that a genuine social dialogue on environmental matters is needed.
The fight to end fossil fuel extraction is driven by the urgency to prevent a climate catastrophe and protect human rights, especially for those in the Global South, who are disproportionately impacted by the continued expansion of fossil fuel industries.
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Frequently asked questions
People are protesting about the widespread pollution of UK waters, with untreated sewage being discharged into seas and rivers. There have been instances of dead fish and toxic algae in Windermere, and poisoned drinking water in various areas of the UK.
People are protesting about the dangerous levels of air pollution, largely caused by burning fossil fuels, which is causing an increased risk of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, and more. Greenpeace Thailand, together with other organisations, is calling on the Thai government to take urgent steps to combat the PM2.5 levels in Thailand's air.
People protest in a variety of ways, from peaceful mass protests and public demonstrations to more disruptive direct actions. Some examples of disruptive actions include blocking traffic by sit-ins or slow walking, locking or gluing oneself to places or objects, and interrupting public events.
