PUBLICATION: Glossary
Eco-extremism
Ecological degradation and climate change in recent decades have raised citizens’ concerns and led to the formation of many environmental protection movements. However, alongside legitimate activism, radical and extremist groups have also emerged, employing violent methods to draw attention to their aims.
In recent years, there has been a notable rise in ecologically motivated violent incidents, which could lead to the delegitimisation and criminalisation of justified environmental initiatives. Serbia is no exception in this regard. Over the past few years, environmental initiatives opposing lithium mining in Serbia have surfaced, and authorities have labeled them as eco- terrorists and eco-extremists in an effort to discredit them. Therefore, it is crucial to clearly differentiate radicalism from extremism in order to support democratic activism while preserving community safety.
The author of this backgrounder is Aleksa Simić, an intern at the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy.
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DATE: 14.05.2025
TOPICS: Challenges Risks and Threats, Extremism, In Focus
TYPE: Glossary
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.55042/CTHN9940
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