Summary

  • Activists in Europe are blocking airport departures, demanding an end to oil, gas, and coal extraction and burning by 2030.
  • Climate activists at London Gatwick staged a sit-in disrupting departure gates, prompting authorities to call police for arrests.
  • Rising climate activism targets aviation industry, impacting airports across Europe, with protestors calling for immediate action.

In response to the global climate crisis, activists across Europe have been blocking airport departures. Over the past month, protestors have staged sit-ins near airport security and even glued themselves to runways.

In the most recent case on July 29, 2024, Just Stop Oil activists were seen sitting on the floor inside the southern terminal of London Gatwick Airport (LGW) with their hands inside lock-on devices.

Disruption at London Gatwick

At 8 AM local UK time, seven Just Stop Oil activists entered LGW airport’s southern terminal and staged a sit-in using suitcases with lock-on devices to block the departure gates. The protest demands that the extraction and burning of oil, gas, and coal be ended by 2030.

In a statement, Mel Carrington, 63, a former environmental consultant from Dorset who took action at LGW airport this morning, said:

“We need a global emergency plan to rapidly phase out fossil fuels. Our government must work with other countries and commit to signing a legally binding fossil fuel treaty to phase out oil, gas and coal by 2030 – and it must support poorer countries to get off fossil fuels too.”

Also taking action, Greg Sculthorpe, a mathematician from Doncaster, said:

“I can’t bear to stand back and watch millions dying because the rich and powerful prefer to protect their wealth and status than the lives of ordinary people.”

In response to the protest, authorities at London Gatwick called Sussex Police to arrest the activists. According to the airport’s update on X, those taking action were removed, allowing normal operations to resume.

London Gatwick is not the only UK airport to have experienced environmental activism. Recent cases prompted four airports to take action to ban protestors from their sites.

A Ryanair Boeing 737 parked alongside two British Airways jets at London Gatwick Airport.

Photo: Ceri Breeze | Shutterstock

London Heathrow (LHR), Leeds Bradford (LBA), London Luton (LTN), and Newcastle International (NCL), were all issued orders forbidding demonstrators from trespassing or causing a nuisance. The banning orders by the High Court will last for five years and be reviewed every year.

Rising climate activism

Climate activism has increased over the years in response to threats of the global climate crisis. However, with temperatures hitting an all-time high during the month of July, activists have stepped up their action, targeting the aviation industry.

On July 24, 2024, Last Generation (Letzte Generation) protestors halted traffic at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Germany, resulting in significant flight disruptions and leading to 140 flight cancelations. The activists entered Frankfurt Airport’s airfield premises, some of them gluing themselves onto the runway.

Parked Lufthansa aircraft at Frankfurt Airport FRA shutterstock_1697255065

Photo: Lukas Wunderlich | Shutterstock

The flight disruptions at FRA followed attempted and some successful protests at various airports across Europe, including Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN), Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL), Helsinki Airport (HEL), Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN), Zurich Airport (ZRH), Geneva Airport (GVA), and London Heathrow (LHR).

Related

Climate Activists Block Runway At Frankfurt Airport Leading To 140 Cancelled Flights

The protests resulted in many flights being canceled or delayed from/to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), one of the major hubs in Germany.

Flying is one of the most carbon-intensive activities. Aviation accounts for 2.5% of global CO2 emissions and contributes to around 4% to global warming to date, according to Our World in Data.

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