In a dramatic visual protest, the iconic waters of Venice's Grand Canal were transformed into a vivid shade of green by climate activists. The act was orchestrated by the group Extinction Rebellion to highlight the global failure to agree on a fossil fuel phase-out at the recent COP30 climate summit in Brazil.
A Coordinated Act of Defiance
The green dye, which activists confirmed was environmentally harmless, was released into waterways across ten Italian cities. This was not an isolated incident in Venice but a coordinated national demonstration aiming to emphasise what the group calls 'the massive effects of climate collapse'.
Alongside the Grand Canal, the targeted sites included Turin's Po River, the Reno River in Bologna, the Tara River in Taranto, and public fountains in the cities of Padova and Genoa. The choice of locations was strategic, focusing on some of Italy's most famous and visited water features to maximise public and media attention.
Protests in Venice and Stalled Global Talks
In Venice itself, the protest had multiple facets. While the dye was poured into the canal, demonstrators from the 'Stop Ecocide' event, including prominent activist Greta Thunberg, staged a separate silent march. The protesters, a solemn procession, wore head-to-toe red outfits with veils covering their faces as they moved slowly through crowds of tourists.
This direct action in Italy coincided with critical, and ultimately disappointing, negotiations at the UN's COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The talks overran on Saturday as delegates fiercely debated the inclusion of fossil fuels in the final agreement. The European Union, which had pushed for a clear 'roadmap' to phase out oil, gas, and coal, saw its proposal blocked by opposition from oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia.
Consequently, the final deal was significantly watered-down. Instead of a firm commitment, it now merely calls on countries to 'voluntarily' accelerate their climate actions, echoing the consensus from the previous COP28 in Dubai.
Activists Condemn Political Inaction
An Extinction Rebellion activist named Paola articulated the group's frustration, stating, 'The most important global summit to define international political agreements aimed at countering climate and social collapse is drawing to a close, and once again this year, has been among the countries blocking the most ambitious proposals.'
This sentiment was echoed by a coalition of more than 30 countries, including European nations and small island states, who had threatened to reject any deal that lacked a concrete plan to move away from fossil fuels. Despite this, the EU ultimately accepted the weaker language to avoid a complete collapse of the talks.
The protest in Italy is part of a wider series of actions by Extinction Rebellion. Just yesterday, a separate activist in Norway brought a decades-long tradition to a standstill by occupying a 65ft-tall Spruce tree destined for London's Trafalgar Square. That stunt was a demonstration against the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea.
As the green dye dissipates from Venice's canals, the activists' message remains starkly clear: they believe urgent, government-led action on fossil fuels is being dangerously delayed by international politics.
