Young Climate Activists Change Tactics as Virus Spreads

  • Groups move toward lawsuits, target companies and banks
  • Coronavirus pushes groups to develop online protests
Isao Sakai at a demonstration in Tokyo on March 6.Photographer: Kentaro Takahashi/Bloomberg
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Young climate activists in Asia are changing tactics, filing lawsuits and developing coordinated online protests, a shift that is accelerating as leaders urge people to avoid public gatherings because of the spread of the coronavirus.

In Japan, students earlier this month protested in the streets outside a bank that funds coal projects. Now, Isao Sakai, one of the founding members of Fridays for Future Tokyo, said the group is working on ways to develop effective online campaigns.