Video summary
As global temperatures rise, climate politics are becoming increasingly intense and complex, extending far beyond traditional Western narratives to encompass the diverse realities of the Global South. While movements like Fridays for Future, initiated by Greta Thunberg in 2018, have gained significant attention in North America and Europe, protests in regions such as Iraq are deeply intertwined with local grievances regarding governance and geopolitics. This shift has led to a polarization where activism is intensifying both in support of climate action and in opposition to it, forcing protesters to adopt more aggressive tactics ranging from blockades to direct actions. In response, governments worldwide are escalating their countermeasures by criminalizing protests, filing lawsuits against activist groups, and, in extreme cases like the Philippines, classifying environmental activists as terrorists to justify violent repression.
Civil society is adapting to this hostile environment by forming unexpected alliances that bridge climate concerns with broader social struggles for health, employment, and equality. In countries like Morocco and Tunisia, women who are disproportionately affected by extreme heat and drought have emerged as key figures, often fetching water and leading the charge in connecting environmental protests with daily survival needs. These coalitions help broaden the definition of a climate activist to include those fighting for basic human rights and social justice, thereby strengthening the movement's resilience against state crackdowns. By linking climate change to everyday issues such as job security and gender equality, these groups ensure that the fight for a sustainable future remains relevant to a wider population facing immediate hardships.
The scope of climate activism is also expanding into new frontiers involving advanced technologies, which are sparking fresh political battles over their deployment and implications. In Indonesia, projects utilizing geothermal energy have faced opposition from both local villagers and religious groups, while in North America, geoengineering technologies designed to dim the sun have frightened communities and prompted states to ban further research. As these innovations grow, they become central to debates about how, where, and for whom such powerful tools should be used, highlighting that climate change is not only reshaping our planet but also fundamentally altering the landscape of global politics. Ultimately, activists and authorities are increasingly clashing over the nature of a fair energy transition, making the path forward one of the most contentious issues of our time.
Read the full video transcript
As the planet heats up, climate politics
are heating up, too. Here at the
Carnegie Endowment for International
Peace, we're exploring how new
frontiers, new coalitions, and new
strategies are shaping climate politics
around the world.
>> This isn't just a North American or
European story. You've probably heard of
Freddy's for Future started by activist
Greta Thmberg in 2018. But across the
global south, climate protests have
taken on increasingly complex and local
forms. Think of Iraq where climate
activism is increasingly intertwined
with grievances over governance and
geopolitics. We've seen an
intensification of climate activism both
for climate action and against it.
Protesters are moving to different
tactics, moving from protests to
blockades and direct action. Governments
are responding too. They are
criminalizing protests and bringing
lawsuits against activist groups. This
is happening all over the world. In the
Philippines, the government has
classified environmental activists as
terrorists, which has allowed for more
violent repression. While in Germany and
Spain, laws used to deal with organized
crime have also been deployed against
climate activists. As governments and
activists continue to push and pull
against each other, driving up the risk
of engagement on these issues, how is
civil society adapting [music] its
tactics?
One tactic is forming alliances, even if
they're unexpected. In Morocco and
Tunisia, it's women who are suffering
more from extreme heat and drought.
They're often the ones fetching water.
And it's women who are bridging
environmental protests with the broader
social movements. These coalitions
connect climate change to everyday
struggles such as health, jobs, and
equality and broaden who counts as a
climate activist.
>> Finally, climate activism is moving into
new frontiers. New technologies like
geothermal energy are sparking
opposition in Indonesia from villagers
and nuns alike. And in North America,
geoengineering technologies that promise
to dim the sun are scaring communities
and leading states to ban further
research. But as these technologies
grow, so do the political battles over
how, where, and for whom they are
deployed. Climate change isn't just
reshaping our planet. It's reshaping our
politics. And activists and authorities
are clashing over just what a fair
energy transition should be.