Climate
No
Future?

What is violence in the context of the climate crisis? And which forms of violence are considered legitimate and which aren’t? Violence is generally understood as an action that causes harm to other people or things. Climate activists are often accused of using violence to enforce their position against the general public. But the state uses violence too, for example, to protect the infrastructures of fossil fuel companies.

Many researchers furthermore argue that climate change and other man-made environmental changes represent a form of structural violence. The victims of such climate violence are particularly threatened communities and vulnerable ecosystems.

What will the human legacy on this planet look like? How will we leave the earth to future generations? The age of climate change is a time of irreversible loss. Entire species are dying out, areas of land are becoming uninhabitable, cultural heritage is being destroyed, seasons are changing and with them human customs and traditions.

The changes of the human age are already visible in many places – for example through coal mining. Flourishing landscapes and lively villages are being transformed into post-apocalyptic wastelands. For many activists, stopping this development is the driving force behind their political action.

What does our future look like in a world of climate change? For young people today, the future is often fraught with feelings of fear and anxiety. What used to be a promise of betterment and progress – the open future – now appears as a threat.

Climate anxiety is now an accepted psychological condition, which can have detrimental effects on public health and mental wellbeing. People deal with this in different ways. Some people suppress their fears, remaining in a state of denial. Others try to escape it by buying bunkers in New Zealand or building rockets to colonize Mars. But for many, the threat of loss can also be a driver for activism and political engagement.

How can we remain hopeful in the climate crisis? Images can play a vital role in conveying hope and inspiring individual or collective action.

In times of increased climate anxiety, hopeful images can offer a counterbalance and motivate people to engage in positive solutions. One can think of visuals, which show the impact of environmental success stories, sustainable innovations or community-level initiatives to tackle the challenges of climate change. However, many climate activists are driven by an unwavering commitment of care – care towards nature and the environment, but also towards each other. This is apparent at rallies and in protest camps.

Images of hope show the human capacity to make a difference, reinforcing the belief that positive transformations are both achievable and imperative.

Showing images of climate action is an important way to leverage agency. Climate strikes are not only about demanding action on climate change, they are also significant visual events that produce iconic images for audiences around the world.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, governments around the world imposed strict measures to tackle the global health crisis. The ban on large gatherings in public spaces, the need for social distancing and the far-reaching lockdowns took a heavy toll on global climate activism.

Because activists could no longer demonstrate, images of protest no longer appeared. This gave rise to doubts about the legitimacy of the climate movement – after all, there were other pressing issues and needs. Visualizing freedom of choice, through images of action, thus proves imperative for climate activism.