Climate campaigners will increasingly adopt “insider activist” roles, working to change or challenge their organizations from the inside rather than the outside, a new study says.
Research led by the University of Exeter identifies different types of climate activists. As well as “insiders,” there are others who seek to undermine, or even damage, climate-recalcitrant organizations they are members of in the hope of change.
The study says the growing climate backlash against traditional outside climate activism and the rise of corporate “greenwashing” means collaborating or contesting for meaningful climate action from the inside of organizations is going to become an important new venue for climate activism.
Insider activists often team up to work with others in different areas of their organization or other groups.