Anthropologist Margaret Mead wrote:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Steering humanity away from the climate and ecological breakdown requires mobilization and civil resistance. The activists of Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion, and Stop Ecocide, among others, demand policies ensuring that our planet remains habitable. They commit to action, on the understanding that hope can only spring from individual commitment and joint protest.

Thousands of Extinction Rebellion activists were arrested in London in 2019, as they protested the government's lack of response to the environmental and climate emergency. While some may mock or dismiss these initiatives, research shows that they have enormous potential.

In the last 100 years, non-violent campaigns have been twice as successful as violent uprisings. Non-violent protests are among the actions that really can change the world.

The mechanism can be set in motion by a relatively small percentage of "thoughtful, committed citizens". The data suggest that 3.5% of a population can trigger significant change in politics and human behaviour.

Stephan MJ, Chenoweth E. 2008. Why civil resistance works: the strategic logic of nonviolent conflict. International Security 33:7-44.

Chenoweth E, Stephan MJ. 2011. Why civil resistance works: the strategic logic of nonviolent conflict. Columbia University Press.