Fig.: to protest in vain, having no chance of success. To do something useless

If we keep on saying that the latest several environmental disasters are not due to the climate change, we are barking at the moon

Se continuiamo a dire che i recenti e molteplici disastri ambientali non sono dovuti ai cambiamenti climatici, stiamo solo abbaiando alla luna

In Parliament, a group of congressmen protested and sharply criticized the President's proposal, but they were only barking at the moon since they were a powerless minority

In Parlamento un gruppo di deputati ha protestato e criticato aspramente la proposta del Presidente, ma stavano solo abbaiando alla luna visto che erano in assoluta minoranza

In ancient times, dogs were believed to bark at the moon because they were blinded or annoyed by too much light, as asserted by the Latin adage Quo plus lucet luna, magis latrat molossus (Where the more the moon shines, the more the molossus barks)