This document summarizes the history and evolution of internet-mediated climate change advocacy. It discusses how digital technologies have enabled more "armchair activism" by automating processes like donations and list-management. This lowered the costs of participation and made organizations less central. The document also examines three case studies of prominent climate advocacy groups (350.org, The Climate Reality Project, and The Guardian's "Keep it in the Ground" campaign) and how they have utilized digital tools. Finally, it considers tensions between targeting economic systems versus working within international agreements, as well as renewed activism against fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

1. Internet-Mediated Climate
Advocacy: History, Convergence,
and Future Outlook
Dr. Luis E. Hestres (The University of Texas at San Antonio) & Dr. Jill E. Hopke (DePaul University)
Presented at the 2017 AEJMC conference | Chicago, IL

2. Two distinct yet related
trends
• Growing importance of
digital communication
technologies to collective
action;
• Growth of climate change-
focused advocacy—
including new organizations.

3. From Union Halls to
Armchairs
Technologies facilitated move
from face-to-face organizing to
“armchair” activism by
automating processes
associated with membership,
such as donations and list
management.

4. The Pre-Internet Era
Environmental Advocacy
Community
• Exemplarize pre-Internet
advocacy modes;
• A stable advocacy
community;
• Relied heavily on media-
based and legalistic tactics.

5. From Armchairs to the
Internet
Digital communication
technologies, such as the
Internet and mobile phones,
have lowered the costs of
participation in collective
action and made brick-and-
mortar organizations less
central to the process.

6. The ’MoveOn’ Model
MoveOn.org’s model of
organizational hybridity is
critical to understanding
climate change advocacy
over the last 15 years.

7. Three Case Studies

8. 350.org
• Founded in 2007;
• Challenged Keystone XL
pipeline;
• Now focused on fossil fuel
divestment.

9. Climate Reality Project
• Founded by former VP Al
Gore;
• Heavily involved in cap-and-
trade bill, 2009-10;
• Now focused on countering
climate change denialism.

10. The Guardian’s ‘Keep It in
the Ground’ campaign
• In partnership with 350.org;
• Initially targeted Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation
and the Wellcome Trust;
• Shifted emphasis to
investment in clean tech.

11. Future Directions
• Tension of targeting capitalist
system (i.e. divestment) vs.
working within international
negotiation framework (e.g.
We Are Still In coalition)
• Renewed activism against
pipelines and large-scale
extraction projects (e.g.
Mazaska Talks) Mazaska Talks (Money Talks)

12. Questions?
Luis Hestres: luis.hestres@utsa.edu | Jill Hopke: jhopke@depaul.edu