Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported in a press release on Monday that as the climate crisis intensifies, some European governments suppress activist groups’ attempts to raise awareness about the issue.
The report indicates a trend of increasing repression against climate activists across Europe. This alleged silencing takes various forms, including legal measures, restrictions on protests, and other measures to potentially limit the influence and reach of environmental activists and organizations. Governments often justify this crackdown on economic stability, public order, and security concerns. However, such measures have sparked significant controversy, arguing that they undermine democratic freedoms, human rights, and the urgent need for climate action.
The European Union has set ambitious goals for tackling climate change, enshrined in various laws and regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The epitome of this ambition was the ratification of the Paris Agreement in 2016 (signature 2015). In Europe, the legal framework for climate protests generally falls under the protection of the right to freedom of assembly and expression, as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights (Article 11) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Article 11). However, specific regulations and restrictions vary by country.
As HRW and other news outlets reported, European national courts have clamped down on climate action. A recent example of this is the record-breaking sentencing in the United Kingdom, where five Just Stop Oil supporters were handed multi-year prison sentences today for attending a Zoom call. According to the Crown Court, this attributed to a public nuisance as plans to obstruct a motorway were discussed. In July 2024, a German district court sentenced a leading member of the Last Generation (Letzte Generation) activism organization to a prison sentence of one year and four months.
This development is paradoxical because, according to the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) press release, published in March 2024, Europe needs to prepare for rapidly growing climate risks. The EEA also stated that ‘many of these risks have already reached critical levels and could become catastrophic without urgent and decisive action.’
European governments often face challenges in climate action due to economic interests, especially in fossil fuel-dependent industries, and political pressures from voters and lobbyists concerned about short-term impacts. The complexity of implementing comprehensive policies and the need for international coordination can also slow progress. Despite these obstacles, many European countries are advancing climate initiatives, though balancing these efforts with immediate economic and political concerns remains a significant challenge.
The judicial response reflects a tension between upholding legal norms and addressing the urgent calls for climate action, highlighting the broader challenge of integrating activist demands into established legal frameworks. UN Special Rapporteur Micheal Frost stated that the current situation significantly threatens human rights and democracy. European state officials have yet to respond to the HRW press release.
