Rail freight all around Europe is struggling to stay afloat financially. A real shame, because it has so much to offer for emission reductions in times of rampant climate change. Could there be anything more ironic than climate activists targeting rail and further hurting the most sustainable mode of transport?
Climate activists in the Netherlands have taken to the streets, or to the rails, rather. They are concerned about the large volume of goods moving around the world. That is “irresponsible and unsustainable”, they say.
Around 30 activists made their way to the Port of Rotterdam. Upon arrival at the Benelux junction, they planned to tie themselves to the rails to block trains from entering or leaving the port. Besides protesting unsustainable freight flows, they also spoke out about war crimes and child labour. According to the activists, the port contributes to the weapon trade with Israel.
Possibly no end in sight
The decision to block the rails is interesting, to say the least. If concerned about emissions, one might wonder how blocking an (electrified) railway is going to help your cause. Rail is the most sustainable mode of transport, and a financially vulnerable one. If anything, a well-functioning rail network is going to help make those freight flows much more sustainable.
The activist group blocked the railway into the port of Rotterdam on Wednesday and Thursday (9 and 10 April). On both occasions, the blockades lasted between three and five hours. Infrastructure manager ProRail says that they have caused hundreds of thousands of euros in economic damage to the rail freight industry.
Importantly, the activists have said that they plan to continue their blockades until the Port of Rotterdam caves in to their demands. It seems reasonable to expect more protests in the near future, and therefore more financial damage to the rail freight industry.
