Fridays for Future

Fridays for Future
PJ Geest (new colour scheme introduced by Bilorv)  This W3C-unspecified vector i · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Fridays for Future
Formation	2018
Type	Youth climate movement
Headquarters	Decentralized
Region served	Global
Focus	Climate change, climate justice

Fridays for Future Fridays for Future is an international youth-led climate movement that began in 2018 and mobilised millions of students and young activists across continents. The movement has drawn attention from political leaders, scientific institutions, environmental organisations, media outlets, and cultural figures while inspiring related campaigns and litigation efforts worldwide.

Origins and background

The public emergence traces to activism inspired by Greta Thunberg's solitary school strike outside the Riksdag in Stockholm, which prompted transnational student strikes for climate action linked to calls from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and climate science communities such as IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C. Early influences and interlocutors included established organisations and movements like Extinction Rebellion, 350.org, Greenpeace International, Sierra Club, and youth networks such as Plant-for-the-Planet and Youth Climate Strike USA. Media attention from outlets including The Guardian, BBC News, and The New York Times amplified local actions in cities like Stockholm, Berlin, London, and New York City, while academic commentary referenced researchers from institutions such as University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Oxford regarding emissions pathways and policy urgency.

Organisation and structure

Operating as a decentralised network, the movement comprises local and national groups modelled after assemblies and coalitions in cities including Paris, Brussels, Rome, Madrid, and Melbourne. Coordination frequently employs digital platforms and tools developed by civil society actors and nonprofits like Change.org-style petitions, coordination via Twitter, Instagram, and federated platforms used by organisations such as European Climate Foundation. Leadership is typically collective and horizontal, with prominent spokespeople such as Greta Thunberg and national coordinators in countries like Germany, United Kingdom, France, United States, Canada, and India enabling liaison with legislators, unions like Trades Union Congress, and student organisations such as National Union of Students (United Kingdom).

Protests and activities

Actions include coordinated school strikes, mass demonstrations, school walkouts in metropolitan areas including Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Oslo, and Cape Town; symbolic acts such as die-ins, climate art interventions, and legal challenges alongside organisations like Fridays for Future International affiliates, Friends of the Earth, and Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Major mobilisations have occurred on dates concurrent with international forums like the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP24, COP25, and COP26, and alongside events at institutions including European Parliament and national legislatures such as the Bundestag and United States Congress. Campaign tactics also engaged litigation in courts referencing decisions and frameworks like the Paris Agreement and rulings from bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights.

Political impact and policy goals

Advocacy priorities emphasise adherence to scientific targets set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and policy shifts such as rapid decarbonisation, phasing out fossil fuels, and climate justice measures comparable to proposals from organisations like Greenpeace International, World Wildlife Fund, and the International Energy Agency. Specific demands have included alignment with the Paris Agreement's 1.5 °C goal, national net-zero commitments mirroring plans in countries like Sweden, United Kingdom, and New Zealand, and fiscal reforms influenced by concepts from Green New Deal proposals advanced in forums including the United States House of Representatives and policy platforms promoted by parties such as Die Grünen (Germany), Labour Party (UK), and Democratic Party (United States).

Reception and criticism

Support has come from climate scientists, celebrities, trade unions, and environmental NGOs including endorsements in public statements by figures associated with Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and prominent artists who performed at rallies in cities like Paris and Berlin. Criticism has arisen from political figures and commentators in outlets such as Fox News, The Daily Telegraph, and some national leaders who questioned tactics or urged prioritising school attendance; critiques also emerged from academics debating youth protest strategies at institutions like Harvard University and London School of Economics, and from groups advocating alternative approaches including some labour unions and energy sector organisations like Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil.

Notable events and global spread

Key global mobilisations included worldwide strikes in March 2019, September 2019 coordinated around the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City, and mass demonstrations linked to COP25 in Madrid and COP26 in Glasgow. The movement expanded to grassroots chapters across continents with prominent national campaigns in Germany's Fridays for Future Germany affiliates, Fridays for Future USA local groups, and networks in India, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, and Australia. Events often intersected with legal actions such as climate lawsuits in jurisdictions including Germany, Netherlands, Austria, and the United States Supreme Court-linked litigation climate ecosystem, while cultural moments included appearances at festivals and addresses before bodies like the European Parliament and panels convened by the United Nations.

Category:Climate movements