There is broad public concern about climate change in the UK. This Pew 2018 study shows 7% think it is not of concern. 66% think it is a major issue. Concern has been growing over time.

Extinction Rebellion, at best, a mixed blessing for this cause.
- They do raise the profile.
- mobilise/ intensity a core of support from 1/10 while 4/10 broadly sympathise with XR (Autumn 2019)
- They narrow support & intensify opposition, esp once focus is on their tactics

Extinction Rebellion tactics exacerbate that problem of intensifying and narrowing support a lot. Disrupting public transport a major error (as acknowledged), where that 37% sympathy dropped to the 13% core.

Roadblocks are a very bad idea for Extinction Rebellion, unless intensifying narrow support is aim. Blocking patients and ambulances catastrophic and may shrink the 1/10 core. Blocking newspapers they don't like will appeal to core but repel some sympathisers and anger a majority

So the profile of climate change rises - but the focus shifts to direct action, law breaking and XR tactics.

A direct action like occasional school strikes is much better message/optics for climate change than disruption and vandalism. Focus on urgency of cause for young people

Those who want deeper action on climate change should realise 13% is not enough. Climate change against rule of law with new self-appointed arbiters overriding democratic processes a big strategic mistake for climate advocacy. Use broad growing support across generations better

If Climate Change becomes highly polarised "culture war" issue of identity (as largely is in the USA, but largely not currently/yet in France or UK) that is catastrophic politically/socially for Climate Change. More in Common @dixontim doing important comparative work on this

But practicalities of reining this in once a base is mobilised seem difficult. I think green social democrats like @ed_miliband need to challenge the base when it is damaging the cause. Mainstream c-left and c-right voices need to persuade younger people they will act on climate

Climate movement needs to
- broaden by class and geography (local focus can help)
- reamplify socially cons case as well as a radical left one
- broaden inter-ethnic reach, which is v weak indeed. (Some link to class)
- mobilise support from young in way which helps, not hinders

Extinction Rebellion less popular than "Black Lives Matter protests". Q similar levels of sympathy but XR many more "opposed"

BLM protests roughly
1/4 strong support
1/4 somewhat support
1/4 on fence
1/4 against (1/10 strongly)

Ethnic minorities 2/3 support rather than 40-50

There are some analogous challenges and dilemmas for climate advocacy and anti-racism. Though Black Lives Matter/anti-racism would quickly become considerably more polarising and unpopular if it mimicked XR on roadblocks, disruption and vandalism at a similar scale