Protests and blockades

Worker or public protests are a common and high-profile coping strategy. They are often used to resist decarbonisation efforts, although they can support stronger decarbonisation policy as well. They are usually undertaken by workers, NGOs or the general public and occur at all geographical levels, from the local to the supranational. In the regional cases studied in CINTRAN, resistance actions at the local and national levels predominate. At the national level, protests are typically deployed in the mining sector and organised by unions. However, nationwide demonstrations and protest are rare. Organised protests by miners and mining unions are more common at regional and local levels. Local protest actions are generally supported by local authorities, although they may be opposed by higher levels of government. Protests by local citizens committees, usually opposing the implementation of renewable energy projects (e.g. wind), tend to be more local, less frequent and more spontaneous.