“Young activists put environmental sensitivity back on the agenda, it’s nothing”

Daniel Boi is Emeritus Research Director of the Center for Political Studies (Cevipof) at Sciences Po. Specializing in electoral sociology and political ecology, he traces the evolution of opinion on these topics.

Are we witnessing the spread of environmental action or a more public one?

Yes, there is plenty of action today, that’s for sure. This is not a new phenomenon. Environmental historians such as François Jarrigues, Jean-Baptiste Fressault, and Christophe Bonneville have shown that there were demonstrations in France from the beginning of the industrial age in the 19th century.^e In the century, for example, against meters, gas tanks with large leaks. Then there were actions against specific entities, such as GMOs with José Boves, or large wasteful projects such as Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport or, more recently, mega-pools. These are often local issues that have a strong resonance with the organization of the protected area. Today the cause is much more global as it relates to global warming and its consequences.

Does it change conflict?

When we protest, for example, pension reform, the opponents know exactly what they are asking for, for example, the repeal of the measure. Against global warming, the stakes are very high. It’s about being legally warned that we’re not on the right track. But, in certain actions, the requirements are not necessarily exact. For those who throw soup on the table, governments do nothing when they want to do everything. Suddenly this opposition cannot have an end. There is no common ground if the opposition remains so general. For more specific issues, such as thermal repair, we can talk about the amount: 12 billion or 2 billion euros?

Is this a sign of radicalization of the youth or insufficient government action?

A bit of both, there is a radicalization of a section of the youth that faces a very strong and understandable eco-anxiety. There are undeniable environmental disasters, and the future can be dangerous. Young radicals throwing in the towel means that rulers are sacralizing culture more than climate. But this message is complicated, it can seem disconnected when the SUV tire wear is crystal clear. By attacking the shocking picture, we run the risk of alienating the mass of people who are now realizing the seriousness of global warming. This is the whole political debate surrounding these actions. Small steps are difficult for governments to figure out. Leaders can come across as too shy.