The US Oil Rush Is Eroding the Right To Protest

Protesting against environmentally harmful projects is becoming more difficult in the United States. Organized resistance is now needed.

These are challenging times for climate activists in the U.S. On the one hand, it’s already difficult for activists to make an abstract topic like global warming and its consequences more relatable to people. On the other, policymakers are undermining important efforts to raise awareness.

Climate change denier Donald Trump sits in the White House, having rallied his supporters with cries of “Drill, baby, drill” during the election campaign. Subsidies for renewable energies have been repealed by decree, while Doug Burgum’s appointment as secretary of the interior signals a clear intent to prioritize fossil fuels over environmental protection. The former governor of North Dakota gave wealthy oil barons a direct line to Trump, who promised to abolish numerous environmental measures and regulations in return for campaign donations of $1 billion.

Now, the courts are apparently doing the rest of the work to pave the way for uninterrupted oil drilling: The $660 million verdict against Greenpeace would likely bankrupt the U.S. branch of the environmental organization if it is upheld. The case centered on Greenpeace’s primary mission, namely, to protest against environmentally harmful projects. Greenpeace had organized demonstrations against a pipeline company about which authorities had also raised concerns.

Make no mistake: The mood is set to become even more unforgiving. Since Trump’s first term in office, rights to protest have been progressively curtailed, with tougher penalties imposed for demonstrations targeting critical infrastructure. So, environmentalists need to band together with the political opposition. After all, more staff and likely increased financial resources are needed to bolster the resistance.