Can climate activism deliver transformative change? Extinction rebellion, business and people power

Neil Gunningham*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    This article examines whether large-scale grassroots activism might be a necessary con-dition for achieving transformational climate change action, and examines whether Extinction Rebellion (XR), which has had a remarkable impact in a very short time, might – unlike its predecessors – be capable of precipitating such change. Reviewing the evidence, the article suggests that such activism, even if necessary, is unlikely to be sufficient to bring about rapid and radical climate action. It might, however, prove to be an important change agent, through its contribution to a broader coalition of business and civil society actors or through harnessing ‘webs of influence’. How such a coalition might evolve, or web influence play out, is also explored.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)10-31
    Number of pages22
    JournalJournal of Human Rights and the Environment
    Volume11
    Issue number3 Special Issue
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2020

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