The Impacts of Climate Activism

We review 50 studies on the impacts of climate activism. We present the existingevidence in a map of what we know about climate activism and its impacts. There isstrong evidence that climate activism shifts public opinion and media coverage in a pro-climate direction, but this varies by context and the tactics employed. There is moremoderate evidence that activism can pressure policymakers to communicate more aboutclimate change, encourage voters to vote in a more pro-climate direction, and financiallypressure carbon intensive companies. We review suggestive evidence that protest caninfluence emissions and environmental policy. Although these studies cover a wide swathof outcome variables, a majority examine intermediate variables, rather than long termimpacts. Generalizability is challenged by a bias towards the U.S. and Western Europe.We call for greater focus outside those geographic areas and more attention to activism'simpact on public policy and emissions.