Civil disobedience as a form of climate protest – Why are climate activists around the world now going to prison? With Violet Coco (Australia), Git Lundström (Sweden), Niko Froitzheim (Germany)

During the COVID pandemic since 2020, governments all over the
world followed the advice of the scientific experts and took
rigorous measures in order to stop the spreading of the virus
which still killed millions of human beings. 


There is consensus amongst climate scientists that the current
climate policies are totally insufficient and that the world is
on its way towards an unprecedented climate disaster - in spite
of the fact that it is very well known what needs to be done to
stop climate change, after all stop burning oil, gas and
coal. 


The disappointment by the climate movement about the inaction has
been met by unprecedented fire storms, unprecedented floods,
unprecedented droughts, unprecedented hunger stones, heat waves
etc. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated very clearly:
‘Delay means Death!’, ‘We are on our way to Climate Hell with our
foot on the gas pedal!’, and ‘Collective Action or Collective
Suicide!’.


Before this background, civil disobedience has become an
important tool of the climate movements to create more public
awareness about the climate urgency. Our three guests, Violet
Coco from Australia, Git Lundström from Sweden and Niko
Froitzheim from Germany, have all blocked roads, two of them have
already been sentenced to fines respectively to prison. We will
discuss with them why they decided to risk serious personal
consequences of their protest and what they believe needs to be
done to stop climate change.