A while ago a couple of peace activists who broke into a military airfield to damage B52 bombers argued they were preventing a greater crime and won their case (see www.b52two.org on web archive for the story).
At the time I wondered “what if you used a similar defense for an action to prevent climate change”?
Well, that has now happened and the jury is out, damaging property to prevent climate change is legal:
Kingsnorth trial: Coal protesters cleared of criminal damage to chimney
The trial of the six Greenpeace UK activists was the first case in which acting to prevent climate change causing damage to property formed part of a ‘lawful excuse’ defence
https://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/10/activists.carbonemissions
Previous victories where environmental activists have been found not guilty:
https://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/10/activists.kingsnorthclimatecamp1
Is preventing climate change a valid defence? VOTE NOW:
https://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/poll/2008/sep/11/climatechange.kingsnorthclimatecamp
On a more sober note, read Climate Code Red:
https://www.climatecodered.net/
Enjoy!
Josef.
[…] 4. I personally take the viewpoint that whilst sharing copyrighted material that is not released under a Creative Commons (or some other modern, open, license) is technically illegal, that sharing it is in fact preventing a far greater crime; widespread ignorance and the destruction of ecosystems everywhere. Note that in the UK this argument has on numerous occasions stood up in a court of law. See, for example: https://uniteddiversity.com/damaging-property-to-prevent-climate-change-is-legal/ […]