Just Stop Oil announces end of direct actions after years of mobilisation

Just Stop Oil will end its high-profile actions after one of its core demands was integrated into the British government's energy policy.

Share:

LONDON – The British organisation Just Stop Oil, known for its high-profile actions against the oil and gas industry, has announced it will bring its direct interventions to an end. This decision follows the integration of its initial demand—halting oil and gas exploitation—into government policy, according to a statement issued on 27 March.

The organisation’s final public demonstration is scheduled for 26 April in Parliament Square, London. The group, several of whose members are currently imprisoned, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that this mobilisation will mark the conclusion of its civil disobedience operations. The organisation also indicated it is working on a new project, although no details have been disclosed.

A controversial approach

Since its inception, Just Stop Oil has stood out through widely broadcast actions on social media. Cultural venues such as the National Gallery, where activists threw soup at Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, were among its targets. Sporting events including the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Wimbledon tennis tournament were also disrupted. In January, the grave of Charles Darwin was defaced.

In 2022, repeated blockades of the M25 motorway encircling London caused significant traffic disruptions over several days. These actions led to legal proceedings and prison sentences for several members, which were upheld on appeal earlier this month.

Legal consequences and strategic repositioning

Currently, fifteen members of the organisation remain incarcerated. Ten had their sentences confirmed on appeal, including those responsible for the incident at the National Gallery. Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in London has reduced sentences for six others involved in an attempted motorway blockade.

Just Stop Oil states its “resistance” will continue through the courts. The organisation claims it has been betrayed by what it calls an amoral political class. In its statement, it argues that only a revolution can address future systemic threats, though it has not clarified what form future actions might take.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, through his spokesperson, welcomed the likelihood of fewer disruptions. Meanwhile, Greenpeace voiced its support for Just Stop Oil activists, citing the legal and personal consequences they have endured.

Final energy consumption in the European industrial sector dropped by 5% in 2023, reaching a level not seen in three decades, with renewables taking a growing role in certain key segments.
Réseau de transport d’électricité is planning a long-term modernisation of its infrastructure. A national public debate will begin on September 4 to address implementation methods, challenges and conditions.
The Spanish Parliament has rejected a package of reforms aimed at preventing another major power outage, plunging the national energy sector into uncertainty and revealing the fragility of the government's majority.
The U.S. government has supported Argentina’s request for a temporary suspension of an order to hand over its stake in YPF, a 16.1 billion USD judgment aimed at satisfying creditors.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency extends compliance deadlines for coal-fired power plant operators regarding groundwater monitoring and the closure of waste ponds.
Eskom aims to accelerate its energy transition through a new dedicated unit, despite a USD22.03bn debt and tariff uncertainties slowing investment.
Several major U.S. corporations announce investments totaling nearly USD 90 billion to strengthen energy infrastructure in Pennsylvania, aimed at powering data centers vital to the rapid growth of the artificial intelligence sector.
Nearly USD92bn will be invested by major American and international groups in new data centres and energy infrastructure, responding to the surge in electricity demand linked to the rise of artificial intelligence.
Nouakchott has endured lengthy power interruptions for several weeks, highlighting the financial and technical limits of the Mauritanian Electricity Company as Mauritania aims to widen access and green its mix by 2030.
Between 2015 and 2024, four multilateral climate funds committed nearly eight bn USD to clean energy, attracting private capital through concessional terms while Africa and Asia absorbed more than half of the volume.
The Global Energy Policies Hub shows that strategic reserves, gas obligations, cybersecurity and critical-mineral policies are expanding rapidly, lifting oil coverage to 98 % of world imports.
According to a report by Ember, the Chinese government’s appliance trade-in campaign could double residential air-conditioner efficiency gains in 2025 and trim up to USD943mn from household electricity spending this year.
Washington is examining sectoral taxes on polysilicon and drones, two supply chains dominated by China, after triggering Section 232 to measure industrial dependency risks.
The 2025-2034 development plan presented by Terna includes strengthening Sicily’s grid, new interconnections, and major projects to support the region’s growing renewable energy capacity.
Terna and NPC Ukrenergo have concluded a three-year partnership in Rome aimed at strengthening the integration of the Ukrainian grid into the pan-European system, with an in-depth exchange of technological and regulatory expertise.
GE Vernova has secured a major contract to modernise the Kühmoos substation in Germany, enhancing grid reliability and integration capacity for power flows between Germany, France and Switzerland.
The National Energy System Operator forecasts electricity demand to rise to 785 TWh by 2050, underlining the need to modernise grids and integrate more clean energy to support the UK’s energy transition.
Terna has signed a guarantee agreement with SACE and the European Investment Bank to finance the Adriatic Link project, totalling approximately €1bn ($1.08bn) and validated as a major transaction under Italian regulations.
India unveils a series of reforms on oil and gas contracts, introducing a fiscal stability clause to enhance the sector’s attractiveness for foreign companies and boost its growth ambitions in upstream energy.
The European Commission is launching a special fund of EUR2.3bn ($2.5bn) to boost Ukraine’s reconstruction and attract private capital to the energy and infrastructure sectors.