Researchers’ findings on climate activity in 2023

The climate movement must constantly find new, unexpected strategies to surprise and influence. That is why it is difficult to predict how it will change in the coming year, say climate action researchers who spoke to SVT Nyheter.

But Matthias Wallström, a sociologist at the University of Gothenburg, believes that larger mobilizations can be expected. He mentions Extinction Rebellion as an example. The British branch of the movement recently announced that it would end its roadblocks in order to organize a larger protest outside the British Parliament in April.

– However, it is not a given that destructive insurgencies in other countries will choose to follow the same strategy, he says.

Contemporary example at Lutzerath

The gathering in Lutserath, Germany is an example of a larger mobilization in the future. A small village long occupied by climate activists has gathered a large crowd of international activists to stop lignite mining in the area. And there’s David Fobe, who, while an activist, also does research into climate action. He also hopes for bigger mobilizations in the future.

– The intense part of the movements will continue in 2023, but few people will do that kind of action. So, he says, “I suspect that a large mass movement will start that will catch everyone who is not ready to go that far, but still wants to get involved.”

Climate activism and politics

In Sweden, Phoebe believes the growing gap between the environmental movement and politics will fuel activism.

– I think that gap will contribute to a mobilization, he says.

Jonathan Josephson – who researches the climate movement and youth political participation at Linköping University – thinks the same way.

– There is a fundamental dissatisfaction on the part of environmental and climate activists about the lack of political action that has been going on for years. The pandemic and restrictions have prevented people from expressing their discontent publicly, and then from a Swedish perspective we changed the government last fall, which increased the conflict line, he says.

Josephson believes the climate movement will use legal means to influence 2023:

– A trend you can see in legal cases around the world and in Europe where young people or environmental groups sue states or companies. These cases have increased drastically in number in recent years, and the focus around them can only be expected to continue.