Environmental activists won't throw soup at paintings anymore
"It has worked," says a researcher.
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They have thrown soup at famous paintings and sprayed paint on Stonehenge.
The members of Just Stop Oil are fighting against coal, oil, and gas.
And if they want to be heard, they believe they have to cause disruption.
'Just Stop Oil is hanging up the hi vis,' writes the environmental group.
Why are they changing tactics now?
And were the soup and paint really necessary?
The wow effect is fading
"There are probably two reasons why they're stopping these kinds of actions now," says Christian A. Klöckner from NTNU.
He researches activists – people who fight for a cause they are passionate about.
"Their actions were meant to shock and wake us up. But they can't just do the same thing over and over again," he says.
Eventually, the wow effect fades.
Being heard
Secondly, Klöckner says that Just Stop Oil feels like they are being listened to.
"And now they can use the platform they've gained to be heard," he says.
He says Just Stop Oil has worked hard to reach this point.
"Now they can be part of the conversation," he says.
Just Stop Oil is clear on their website: 'We've won on this ✅'
They write that the UK government has agreed to their first demand: There will be no new licenses for extracting oil, gas, or coal.
Klöckner says that Just Stop Oil alone is not responsible for the halt in oil exploration.
"But they contribute to raising awareness. And that can influence policy," he says.
Heard on the ski track
Klöckner says climate actions also play a role in Norway.
"Activists from Stop Oil Exploration threatened to disrupt the ski race during this year's World Championships," says the researcher.
The've done it before too.
"Back then, the activists actually went out onto the ski track," he says.
But this time it was different. The activists and the skiers talked.
Eventually, several skiers delivered a clear message:
'We as athletes do see the need to address the main driver behind the climate crisis – the fossil fuel industry.'
"That led to an agreement. The climate issue was addressed, and the race went on as planned," says Klöckner.
Not entirely positive
Klöckner and his colleagues have researched which actions are effective.
"For actions to work, people have to agree that the cause is important," says Klöckner.
He adds that people do not support actions if they are violent.
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Or if they cause damage that cannot be undone.
"That happened when two climate activists poured paint on statues in Frogner Park," he says.
The paint was difficult to completely remove.
"Then the damage quickly gets more attention than the climate cause," he says.
"Can be necessary"
Klöckner believes we need actions that force us to stop and think.
"The climate crisis is that serious," he says.
He explains that we need to break out of daily routines and ask painful questions.
"As long as the actions are not violent or destructive, I believe they can be necessary," he says.
Just Stop Oil says they will hold one final protest on April 26.
After that, the fight will continue in courtrooms and prisons – but not in the streets, writes The Guardian.
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Translated by Alette Bjordal Gjellesvik
Read the Norwegian version of this article on ung.forskning.no
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