Nov 8, 2021-2021
United Kingdom
Yasava gets booted
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ACTIVISTS/ACT.GROUPS/DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP
Yes Men; Glasgow calls out polluters
TARGET
Yasava
WIDELY HELD BELIEF
Yasava should be exposed for its greenwashing initiatives.
CASE NARRATIVE
Issue and Opponent: The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP26, has generated criticism for the amount of corporate greenwashing it allows to be put on display. It is argued that companies use the conference to boast about their plans to reach net-zero emissions while also continuing with business practices that cause yet further CO2 emissions.
Dilemma Action: In order to call attention to the corporate greenwashing at COP26, the Yes Men and the Glasgow Call Out Polluters worked together to create an action that highlighted these criticisms. Together, they posed as a real private jet couture company called Yasava and infiltrated COP26. They managed to get the company signed up for two “science-based” climate initiatives. Only after this did they issue their first press release claiming that Yasava was a fake company they used to infiltrate COP26. After their press release, Yasava was pulled from the Science-Based Targets Initiative. However, it was later revealed that Yasava was indeed an actual company that the group had just used to get their point across.
Outcomes: Their stunt seemed to highlight just how much net zero initiatives are paying lip service and getting in the way of real action. The action was another example of why so many activists are calling on the government to recognize that systemic, global change is necessary. The action received a good deal of media coverage. However, no concessions were obtained.
PRIMARY STRUGGLE/GOAL
NONVIOLENT TACTICS USED
DA TACTICS USED
Humorous skits and pranks
CASE NARRATIVE WRITER
SUCCESS METRICS
9 / 12
(MC) Media Coverage
(MSYMP) Media coverage was sympathetic to the activists
(OR) Opponent response
(PS) Dilemma action built sympathy with the public
(PUN) Punishment favored the activists
(REFR) Dilemma action reframed the narrative of the opponent
(RF) Dilemma action reduced fear and/or apathy among the activists
(SA) Dilemma action appealed to a broad segment of the public
Laugtivism
PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN
3 / 3
Activist group continued working together after the action
Encouraged more participants to join the movement
Internally replicated by the same movement
RESOURCES
Project documentation
Dilemma Actions Coding Guidebook
Case study documentation
Dilemma_Actions_Analysis_Dataset
SOURCES
Phelps, William. 2021. “FAKE REVEALS, REAL LESSONS: HOW GLASGOW’S CLIMATE ACTIVISTS PRANKED COP26 AND WHY IT MATTERS.” Tag 24, November 13. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://www.tag24.com/science/environment/fake-reveals-real-lessons-how-glasgows-climate-activists-pranked-cop26-and-why-it-matters-2201319
Weston, Pheobe and Patrick Greenfield. 2021. “Cop26: Obama criticises China and Russia for ‘dangerous absence of urgency’ – day eight as it happened.” The Guardian, November 8. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://press.theyesmen.org/press-archive/yasava-guardianupdates-updated-justpiece.html?_ga=2.51725165.552215721.1647623829-1989681100.16219722400
Mizon, Eliz. 2021. “YASAVA *is* a Real ‘Private Jet Couture’ Company: The Yes Men’s COP26 Double Bluff.” Power and Pop Culture, November 9. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://elizmizon.substack.com/p/yasava-is-a-real-private-jet-couture?fbclid=IwAR0zkrdhLbhz7EdJynTE32u0mnanA4b7PQF2jf1a3uzEANNUU-dG-dS9_T4&s=r
Paterson, Kirsteen. N.d. “COP26 bosses fall for prank jet firm in The Yes Men ‘greenwashing’ stunt.” The National Scotland. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://press.theyesmen.org/press-archive/yasava-thenationalscotland.html?_ga=2.84403037.552215721.1647623829-1989681100.1621972240
Keeling, Tracy. 2021. “Hilarious COP26 prank highlights the absurd level of corporate capture at the conference.” Canary, November 9. Retrieved July 23, 2023. https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2021/11/09/hilarious-cop26-prank-highlights-the-absurd-level-of-corporate-capture-at-the-conference/
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