Protest
The following resources describe the effectiveness of civil disobedience in creating social change.
You may choose to use these as evidence to convince a court that direct action works and is the most reasonable method for addressing the climate crisis. They can be attached as exhibits to motions and briefs. Click on the links to download the files.
LEGAL Resources
Resource generated by the Climate Disobedience Center on the climate necessity defense: what it is, how it works, how to integrate it.
Provide training and support for individuals in climate-related legal actions throughout the trial process, ensuring that they have the best and most up-to-date evidence on their side.
SUCCESSES
Charges Dropped Against Climate Activists
A New York Times article about the lobster boat blockade, how the charges were dropped, and how the DA gave a speech about the danger of climate change.
Extinction Rebellion Founder Cleared Over King’s College Protest
A Guardian article about the successful use of the necessity defense in U.K.
Heathrow Third Runway Ruled Illegal Over Climate Change
Guardian article about the successful challenge by legal charity Plan B, resulting in the first major ruling in the world to be based on the Paris climate agreement.
Sadiq Khan: I’ll Meet Extinction Rebellion Despite Burden on Police
Open letter from the mayor of London, saying that he will bow to the pressure of direct action and meet with climate protestors whom he had previously derided.
Air Better in Extinction Rebellion Areas
A Guardian article supporting an argument about the immediate positive effects of direct action.
THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT
The Climate Strikers Should Inspire Us All to Act at the Next UN Summit
Open letter by Antonio Guterres, the secretary general of the United Nations, in support of climate protestors.
Students from 1,600 Cities Just Walked Out of School to Protest Climate Change
A Time article about the student strikes to protest climate change and the support they have garnered.
The EU Election’s ‘Green Wave” is Set to Transform Energy Policy
Forbes article about the effectiveness of climate protests in boosting the previously irrelevant Green Party to do exceptionally well in the EU elections.
CLIMATE NECESSITY REFERENCE
Chenoweth and Stephan on Nonviolent Protest
A study showing the effectiveness of nonviolent direct action.
Gilens and Page on American Politics
A study showing that the U.S. government is completely unresponsive to the policy preferences of the majority of the population.
Annual survey of respondents from around the world showing that global faith in government institutions remains profoundly low.
Part of a USA Today investigation into model bills and the corporate dominance over the legislative process.
How to Research the Corporate Forces Behind Pipeline Protest Criminalization
Article explaining how to track corporate influence behind critical infrastructure bills, which could show that criminalization is not actually a democratically instituted policy, but rather a corporate tactic to protect their profits.
A 2017 book on nonviolent struggles: their form and their effectiveness.
Global Climate Change and Non-Violent Civil Disobedience
An article by John Lemons and Donald A. Brown on the ethics of climate activism.
Gene Sharp’s distillation of his 1973 book (from 900 pages in the original to 168 pages here).