Surely, if you’re wanting to push your cause, the best strategy is to win over as many supporters as possible? The Last Generation activists consistently appear to take the opposite approach. The upheaval at various European airports over the past 10 days, succeeded in showing up a number of failures – both on the activists’ part, as well as on the part of airport management and security. Though if the objective was to irritate as many travelers and logisticians as possible, then the actions were certainly a success. Yet while a micro-minority of the public may laud the Last Generation’s extreme measures, at the end of the day, wanton disruption, trespassing, and vandalism are wrong – not to mention hypocritical – and cannot be the way forward.
Certainly, that was underlined by the Austrian Governor for Lower Austria, Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP), who issued a very critical statement calling the protesters criminals as opposed to climate heroes, and clearly annunciating that those who disrupt air traffic, should be jailed. No one is above the law, never mind the cause.
Around 50 activists had attempted to cause havoc at Vienna International Airport, Saturday a week ago, but a few had also met with good old Viennese stubbornness and ‘suffered’ a few suitcases rolling over them as people pushed past the human barrier. Vienna was just one of the airports targeted by the Last Generation. Germany saw a number of disruptions, in part leading to major flight delays/cancellations, and attempts were made in the UK, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, and Spain. Possibly not the last of this kind of disruption, since environmental activists have said that they plan to target European airports throughout the summer in an effort to remind the public of the link between fossil fuels used in aviation, and climate change, and to push governments to end the extraction and burning of fossil fuels by 2030.
Lost cause already?
2030 is just five and a half years away, now. Unfortunately, just last week, Air New Zealand issued a statement explaining why it has now dropped its 2030 carbon target: “Many of the levers needed to meet the target, including the availability of new aircraft, the affordability and availability of alternative jet fuels, and global and domestic regulatory and policy support, are outside the airline’s direct control and remain challenging.” The main reason, according to a Reuters article on the airline: aircraft delivery and maintenance delays. The publication also pointed out: “This is the first major airline to row back on climate aspirations, but the carrier said it was committed to an industry-wide target of net zero emissions by 2050 and was working on a new near-term goal.”
Add to this, the UN’s 9th edition of its Sustainable Development Report (SDR), revealing in JUN24, that “none of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track to be achieved by 2030, and only an estimated 16% of the SDG targets are progressing,” and the outlook appears pretty bleak.
Lack of practical solutions
That said, things are happening and the air cargo industry and aviation industry as a whole need to ensure that the positive messages are getting across and, above all, are true and tangible.
Similar criticism can be applied to the Last Generation, however. Its approach to addressing sustainability in the air cargo industry fails on many levels – not least, its failure to propose practical and actionable solutions for sustainability in air cargo. Most likely due to its ignorance of how the industry functions, overall. So, while Last Generation may be effective in highlighting certain environmental issues associated with the industry, it fails to suggest any concrete and feasible proposals for positive change, and this largely limits its influence on those policymakers and industry stakeholders seeking to adopt realistic strategies to reduce carbon emissions.
Disruption over Dialogue – regardless of the consequences
Instead, through its disruptive tactics such as airport blockades and public protests, the Last Generation draws attention to its cause, but not in a constructive manner. While these actions generate media coverage and public awareness, they also largely alienate potential allies within the industry and government. Effective climate activism requires engaging with and influencing key stakeholders within the industry. The Last Generation group, however, shows only very limited constructive engagement with airlines, logistics companies, and regulatory bodies. Its confrontational nature creates an ‘us versus them’ mentality, as opposed to fostering a collaborative environment where all parties work together towards common sustainability goals.
Because of this lack of collaboration, the Last Generation appears unaware that a crucial aspect of achieving sustainability in air cargo is the development of appropriate infrastructure to support new technologies and practices. Its activism seldom addresses the infrastructural investments required to implement solutions such as sustainable aviation fuels, energy-efficient ground operations, and improved logistics networks. For it to be taken seriously, the Last Generation would need to resort to more founded and constructive criticism.
Neglecting Economic and Social Impacts
Not only that, but another significant failing of the Last Generation is its apparent disregard for the economic and social implications of its activities. Air cargo is a vital component of global trade and commerce. It supports millions of jobs and contributes significantly to national economies. Last Generation’s disruptive actions and calls for drastic reductions in air cargo operations overlook the potential economic fallout and job losses that could ensue, particularly in those regions heavily dependent on aviation and logistics.
Underestimating Technological Advancements and Infrastructure
Likely due to a lack of understanding as to how the air cargo industry works, the Last Generation activists may not be aware of or may largely undervalue the technological advancements already being made to enhance sustainability. Though Sustainable Aviation Fuels might be more publicized, there are also a number of other efforts under implementation or on the horizon, that will continue to promote a healthier aviation industry. Measures such as more fuel-efficient aircraft, and advanced logistics software are gradually reducing the sector’s carbon footprint. Already, the aircraft of today are not the same as those flying twenty, thirty years ago. Engines have become more efficient and quieter, for example. In not acknowledging these efforts, the group risks appearing out of touch with the industry’s current trajectory, and undermines the progress being made by those stakeholders genuinely committed to sustainability.
A Shot in the Foot
The methods employed by the Last Generation activists polarize public opinion. Although their intentions are to rally support for urgent climate action, their radical tactics result either in public backlash or apathy. Polarization is detrimental to progress as it drives a wedge between those wanting change and those with the power to implement it. While the Last Generation may have played a role in raising awareness about the environmental impacts of the air cargo industry, its approach is marked by the several failings listed: lack of practical solutions, disruptive tactics, neglect of economic and social impacts, underestimation of technological advancements, failure to address infrastructure challenges, insufficient stakeholder engagement, and the potential to polarize public opinion.
This time, it has also resulted in reactions that will have negative consequences for its members: The German Cabinet has drawn up a bill that, once approved by lawmakers, will enable punishment of up to two (possibly five) years’ imprisonment for those who intentionally trespass on airside areas of airports, endanger civil aviation, or facilitate others to do so. Some airlines are already looking to press charges on last week’s activists.
Do Better
While airports and airport security need to examine how they deal with disruptive actors to prevent gross disruption, in future – particularly if notified in advance, as was the case in many of the recent protests – the Last Generation should also reconsider its approach. It would be far better off channeling its passion for the cause into constructive dialogue and collaborative change.
