Climate issues are prevailing in every corner of the world. However, the measures taken to control climate change are not enough.
People are aware that climate change is affecting everyone’s day-to-day life. When asked about the measures to control the issues, people are shunned.
Thus, they come down the streets for the procession to force the government to formulate laws to control global warming and provide information about climate change to ignorant ones.
Here are some powerful environmental protest pictures from when the people assembled to raise their voices.
Table of Contents
1. Leah Namugerwa
Inspired by Greta Thunberg, a sixteen-year-old Ugandan, Leah Namugerwa stood up for climate with her classmates and juniors.
On 8th January, the Ugandan activist completed her 100th school strike for environments, sending the world a message of climate justice.
Forest depletion is a severe issue pervading all over the Ugandan jungles. Leah celebrated her 15th birthday by planting 100 trees and 500 trees when she reached 16 years old to combat the problem.
Her mission is to inspire her peers and plant back all the trees Uganda has lost. Her advocacy to bring change goes beyond the boundaries of Uganda; to change the world is Leah’s vision.
2. Greta Thunberg
The Swedish climate activist gets Thunberg was inspired by the teen activists at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school.
She started protesting by sitting outside Riksdag every day during school hours.
The sign that read “skol stre jk for klimatet” translates to school strike for climates. Greta’s most famous slogan, “Friday for future, grabbed the world’s attention that inspired many school pupils throughout the globe to take part in student strikes.
Greta put her proposal forward to the Swedish government, asking to reduce carbon emission to the limit mentioned in the Paris agreement.
After her protest in Switzerland, she traveled to the USA on a two-week journey by sailboat to address the climate crisis.
She is the youngest, most influential environmental activist who is doing everything in her capacity to bring change.
3. No planet B
People worldwide are concerned and threatened by the activities carried out in the world. All activities bring destruction to the world. We should not treat our only home like we are treating it.
People have come down on the streets to stop the despicable act by humankind.
The picture speaks for itself. True, there is no replication of mother earth. There is no other planet to bounce on if ever the world doesn’t support life.
Heal the world is another trendy slogan. We throw that line now and then but forget to use it in our daily life. If only we conduct our slightest maneuver meticulously, we can only heal back the earth.
4. No more empty promise
The title gives it away. The protest was about the government bodies taking an oath to protect the earth, mandating rules to combat the climate crisis but not taking action.
Friday for future calls climate protestors and citizens worldwide to join the climate change strike.
Their main slogan was no more empty promises. They recalled the government about its efforts to solve climate change issues.
The protestors also projected that we should put renewable energy first over fossil fuels.
The protest was also about wholly stopping the use of fossil fuels as it is one of the significant sources of carbon emission.
5. Belgium protest
Thousands of students congregated on the streets to ask for justice for those whose climate issues had severely bruised.
One of the most famous slogans that captivated everyone’s attention was politicians dying of old age and Rosa’s passing away due to climate change.
It was a quest of justice for a fifteen-year-old guy swept away by Belgium’s Ourthe river because of torrential rain and flood.
The protesters insinuated the government by dressing up as an endangered species, chanting slogans demanding climate justice, and waving banners in many languages.
Environmentalists were worried that the UN’s 26th climate change Conference of the Parties, commonly known as COP26, will mandate rules that will not go far enough to solve the climate crisis that we face today.
6. Bangladesh climate strike
Amidst the pandemic, the people from Bangladesh joined hand to hand to mock the government about the climate issues.
Although the government had made plans to reduce carbon emissions, the government did not act as per the plans.
The locals conducted the rally safely by maintaining distance from each other, as per the safety precaution mandated by the government.
The main slogan of the protest was no more excuses: it was directed to the government for not conducting what they had promised to do.
7. Activists of Nepal
On 20th April 2020, many Nepalese environmental activists sent the government a message to address the big climate problems.
Surprisingly, instead of listening to what the protestors had to say, the government sent police forces to pick the protestors and put them behind bars.
It came as a shock to millions of Nepalese and people worldwide. We live in a democratic country and have the freedom of speech. But when we use our voice, we are brutally penalized.
The activist did not stop the chant even though he was forced into the police van heading to the prison where vicious thrashing awaited.
8. Chicago protest
It is a story about a boy who has had asthma issues since childhood. Growing up, he believed everyone had asthma problems because everyone in the neighborhood, including his parents, had asthma.
In December, a recycling company called reserve management group closed an old metal scrapyard which was the cause of the worsening health of people around it. The company is planning to open a new metal recycling plant in Chicago.
It will produce more and more pollution and exacerbate the locals’ health. The locals came down the streets. They protested and did hunger strikes hand in hand until their voices were heard.
9. Reports of murdered indigenous women
The enormous fossil fuel companies are excavating different parts of Canada. During their search for more and more fossils, there is more and more murder or absence of indigenous women from the place.
Some believe that the search for fuels may have led to all the absent women from the place.
Recently, the Canadian government recognized the connection between the extractive industry and violence against women.
After the three years of community hearing, gathering anecdotes, and forensic research that collected data on rotational shift work, harassment in the workplace, substance abuse, and economic insecurity was a factor in increased violence against indigenous women in communities near fossil fuel infrastructure.
10. Stop climate chaos
The environmental protest was held to ensure that world leaders act on rising global greenhouse gas emissions to maintain the average global temperature below 2 degrees celsius.
On five December 2009, people gathered in London and Glasgow to mark Copenhagen’s United Nations climate change conference.
The purpose was to rally the British government and the members of other parties in the united kingdom ‘Quit Dirty Coal,’ ‘Protect the Poorest,’ and ‘Act Fair & Fast.’
It was done to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Reports have it that the attendance in the rally was around fifty thousand people making it the largest demonstration on climate change in the world to date.
11. Extension rebellion
Extension rebellion is a global movement with a vision to use nonviolent civil disobedience to force the government to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and economic collapse.
The movement mascot is a circled hourglass known as an extinction symbol to educate the world that the clock is ticking for the endangered species.
Their mission is to make the government tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, warning the government to halt biodiversity loss, and involving citizens in climate change issues.
12. Newzealand protest
Thousands of students have marched in New Zealand since covid 19 hit. The protest was about making demands to the parliament and clashing with Christchurch’s mayor.
More than 1000 students congregated in Auckland and chanted, “Hey, hey ho ho, climate change has to go.”
Most of the crowd were students holding placards demanding a change in attitudes to stop global warming.
13. Friday for future
Yet another image from one of the movements of Fridays for the future shows that more and more teenagers are involved in such protests than people from other age groups.
Young people worldwide came to the streets to demand urgent action to prevent disastrous climate change in their most significant project since the pandemic started.
As long as the government bodies do not change their rules to cut emissions, the protest will continue, said one protester.
We can see everyone with so much enthusiasm heading forward to voice up what they believe in in the picture.
14. Climate Justice Now
Environmentalists are aware of Indonesia’s backpedal at the pledges made at the UN climate conference in Glasgow.
Thousands of climate activists have taken the issue to the streets of Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.
The Indonesian government had pledged to halt deforestation during the ongoing COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.
It seemed that the promises made were just a fib. Thus, to stop the governments, activists had to step in front.
The rally mocked Indonesia’s environment minister statement of ending deforestation in Indonesia by 2030 and cutting off carbon emissions.
Activists expressed sorrow saying the government did not appear to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
15. India joining Friday for future
When it was the time for the world leaders to meet up in new york to discuss climate change and plans to tackle it, a global strike led by the youth was taking place worldwide.
The protest included 5200 events in 156 countries led by various organizations. Students across India supported the movement that involved skipping school and protesting in public.
The movement took over seventy cities and towns across India, where a hundred children with their parents revolted outside the minister of urban affairs and housing, demanding action against emission from the country.
16. MYC climate strike
The close terrarium and the poster depict the worsening air quality in Malaysia. As a part of a series of climate strike rallies held worldwide between 19th September and 27th September, more than 450 Malaysians came on the streets of Kuala Lumpur for the MYC climate strike.
Kilma action Malaysia led the rally, and it drew the attention of Greenpeace Malaysia and Amnesty International Malaysia.
The activists displayed banners concentrating on the forest fires in the region.
They exerted the government to take legal actions to cope and solve the environmental degradation.
17. Protest in japan
Mika Masahiko, currently studying sociology at Tohoku University, led the protest in her hometown of Nasu. While exploring far away, she frequently visits her hometime.
The chasm in two different places deepened her knowledge of global warming and climate justice.
Depopulation is a significant issue in her hometown. There were very few people to support her advocacy. With the help of older adults and her friends, she spread the word on climate issues.
In February, Masahiko submitted a petition signed by many to make a climate emergency and make decisive actions against climate change.
18. Singapore protest
On 22nd March, Nguyen Nhat Minh, a 20-year-old, posted a picture holding up a placard in public saying, “SG is better than oil.” The account form in which the photo is posted is now private.
A girl skipped school on 13th March. While her peers were studying in a class, she was out.
The 18-year-old girl named Wong J-min took a bunch of photographs in front of the building housing ExxonMobil’s Singapore office holding up a message that read “PLANET OVER PROFIT,” “SCHOOL STRIKE 4 CLIMATE“, and the tongue-in-cheek “ExxonMobil KILLS KITTENS & PUPPIES.”
The police later summoned her for questioning and confiscated her phone.
19. Evelyn Acham
The school didn’t teach Evelyn about climate change: her friend inspired her to learn more about climate and the fight against climate change.
Her friend Vanessa Nakate made international news last year with one women’s strike in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
When she wanted to support her friend in any capacity but was oblivious to the topic, she joined an online course on greenhouse mitigation and sustainable development.
Uganda is located on the equator: it has one of the fastest-changing climates in the world.
When temperature changes so quickly, it affects the livelihood of many rural families like Eyelyns.
Evelyn got international recognition. Now, she has the knowledge and platform to do what she believes in.
20. Vanessa Nakate
Accompanying Greta Thunberg in striking for climate action is Vanessa Nakate. She is an Uganda activist who is 23 years old as of 2021.
She attended the 2020 World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, with Thunberg and others.
The Associated Press cropped out the picture of Vanessa with Thunberg, Loukina Tille, Luisa Neubauer and, Isabelle Axelsson. “You didn’t just erase a photo,” Nakate posted after the incident. “You erased a continent. But I am stronger than ever.”
With the ongoing concerns about climate change, Nakate says that the lack of diversity in such events is another big problem.
She inspired many people from her country. Evelyn Acham, one of the youngest Uganda activists, considers Nakate an inspiration.
Wrapping up
Every year thousands of protests are held in many countries. Still, we cannot come up with solutions to climate change.
Such events are imperative to pressure the individual, the society, and the nation to start bringing change. Check out our article on the 10 award-winning environmental impact pictures to feel on such events.
(Last Updated on February 17, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)
