Climate protesters caused major disruptions across Europe on Thursday as they breached security fences at Frankfurt Airport, Germany's busiest international travel hub. The unauthorized demonstrations led to the cancellation of at least 140 flights, with more expected to follow.

Frankfurt Airport swiftly condemned the protests, emphasizing the severe danger they posed to flight operations and potential risks to human life. The airport management issued a statement expressing their intention to pursue legal action against the participants.

Organized by a climate group called Last Generation, this demonstration marked the second consecutive day of airport disruptions in Germany. On Wednesday, five protesters had forcibly delayed flights at Cologne-Bonn Airport for approximately three hours by gluing themselves to a taxiway.

The climate activists were not confined to Germany alone, as similar protests were staged in several European countries, including Finland, Norway, Switzerland, and Spain. Demonstrators called upon governments to enact a ban on all fossil fuel extraction and burning by 2030, a challenging goal that is widely regarded as virtually impossible to achieve.

These protests come at a time when the world is experiencing record-breaking temperatures attributed to climate change. In 2023, the Earth witnessed new global surface temperature records, record-setting summer temperatures, and heightened ocean heat content. The following year, the early months of 2024, continued this trend with the planet experiencing its hottest days ever recorded on Sunday and Monday.

Christiana Figueres, the former head of U.N. climate negotiations, issued a warning to government and business leaders in an interview with the Associated Press. She stressed the urgent need for targeted national policies and substantial reductions in fossil fuel extraction and emissions, warning that failure to act would result in catastrophic consequences for humanity.

As the disruptions caused by climate protests continue to affect travel, airports and authorities are grappling with finding the balance between ensuring security and respecting the right to peaceful protest. The pressure on governments and businesses to address climate change intensifies as record-breaking temperatures become more frequent, raising concerns for the planet's future.