Climate activists at Longannet call for closure date
6.08.2008
One-night mini Scottish camp outside UK’s dirtiest power station. SNP Government urged to set early closure date for plant and guarantee green jobs for coal workers in the growing renewables revolution.
A group of climate protestors were at Longannet power station in Fife this morning in solidarity with the Camp for Climate Action near to Kingsnorth power station in England.
Longannet coal plant, which produces a quarter of Scotland’s electricity, produces around 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of 2.5 million cars.
Eight sciences students from the University of Edinburgh presented Scottish Power representatives with the recent respected ‘Zero Carbon Britain’ report from CAT.
Daniel Abrahams, a physics student, told Scottish Power, who run the plant:
‘Any talk of ‘clean coal’ or carbon capture is a total distraction. We need to radically reduce emissions in less than a decade and we just don’t have the time to wait for unproven technology when we already have renewable solutions ready to roll. Longannet must close by 2015.’
Sarah Holliday, a chemistry student from the Isle of Tiree said:
‘The SNP must urgently fund a transition deal for all those in the coal industry. All those employed in the carbon sector must be guaranteed green jobs in the renewables revolution.’
Notes to editors:
1. Longannet ranked as the UK’s dirtiest power station in a 2007 WWF report:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/european_dirty_thirty_may_2007.pdf
2. The Scottish Climate Bill will bind Ministers to a target of an 80% in greenhouse gases by 2050. An 80% cut in carbon dioxide would mean total emissions for the whole nation of 10-13 million tonnes a year. Longannet produces 10 million tonnes now.
3. Alex Salmond recently described coal as a ‘fuel of the future’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7487184.stm
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Climate Activists Shut Down South’s Biggest Biofuel Base, Thurrock
7.08.2008
This morning climate activists from around the country have shut down the South’s biggest agrofuel depot.
The campaigners, who say that agrofuels will cause runaway climate change if left unchecked, have dropped a 35 foot banner from the top of one of the site’s biggest oil containers and are blocking fuel lorries from leaving or entering the base.
Dean Rivers, who is currently chained to the roof of the oil depot said: “companies like Greenergy and Tescos who use Thurrock are profiteering out of the rush to biofuels causing food price rises, hunger for millions, ecosystem destruction and accelerated Climate Change. These are crimes against humanity and the earth from which we may never recover.” The protest is currently stopping one truck from leaving the Thurrock site every 90 seconds.
George Monbiot, who is at the Climate Camp said “far from being a solution to Climate Change, agrofuels are so damaging they make petroleum look green. They threaten both to accelerate Climate Change and to trigger a global humanitarian disaster. I’m delighted that this depot has been blockaded and I hope it sends a strong signal that agrofuels are a part of the problem not of the solution.”
Last month, it was revealed that the US had buried a report from the World Bank which shows that agrofuels are responsible for 75% of recent food price rises. Despite this, both Europe and the USA continue to invest billions into the fuels, which under UK and EU law continue to make up 2.5% of the UK fuel mix at the pump.
Julia Brownlow, who is blocking lorries from entering or leaving the site said “Agrofuels are destroying the very ecosystems which can stabilise the climate – with the collapse of the Amazon possibly just a few years away I am left with no choice but to take action.”
The protest will continue for the rest of the day.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Agrofuels are biofuels derived from plant material grown in extensive monocultures.
what happened & biofuels explained – audio/x-wav 7.0M
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Another climate camp action – Students Killed at Royal Bank of Scotland’s HQ.
7.08.2008
Fifteen dead bodies are currently lying in a pool of oil blocking the entrance to RBS London HQ at Liverpool Street [1]. Students are staging a ‘die-in’ blockade to highlight the devastating effects of climate change. The protesters are demanding RBS stop funding destructive fossil fuel projects which will create climate catastrophe. The action is taking place as part of the climate camp and is co-ordinated by the student action network PANDA [1].
A report released today by a coalition of environmental NGOs [2] reveals that RBS is estimated to have been involved in providing loans of over $20 billion to coal-related companies in the last two years – including the energy company E.ON.
Head of Climate Change Campaigns at People & Planet, Bronwen Thomas said
“Thousands of climate change activists are currently gathered at the Climate Camp in Kingsnorth to oppose E.ON’s plans to build the first coal-fired power station in the country for 33 years. Coal is the dirtiest fuel there is. Opening coal fired power stations is madness – We should be stopping climate change not making it worse”
PANDA student activist Alex Wood, 22, is currently chained to other activists in front of RBS. He explained his reasons: “I’m risking arrest today because RBS must take responsibility for the emissions caused by their investments. Climate change causes the death of 150, 000 people per year – each one of the fifteen bodies lying outside RBS represents 10, 000 deaths. To stop this number increasing RBS must act now.”
RBS, who refer to themselves as ‘the oil and gas bank’ has also loaned money to companies like Arch Coal, who are involved in the controversial technique of coal mining called Mountain Top Removal. This destroys the tops of entire mountains and produces large quantities of toxic sludge.
PHOTOS ON REQUEST: pandapress@hushmail.com
NOTES:
[1] RBS London HQ address is 250 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4NR
[2] PANDA is People & Planet’s Associated Network for Direct Action. For more details see:
http://peopleandplanet.org/ditchdirtydevelopment
[3] The coalition of groups consists of Friends of the Earth Scotland, People & Planet, Platform, BankTrack, Stop Climate Chaos and Scottish Education and Action for Development.
[4] For more info on the Climate Camp visit www.climatecamp.org.uk
[5] For more info on the Royal Bank of Scotland’s financing of fossil fuel extraction see: www.peopleandplanet.org/ditchdirtydevelopment
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Plane Stupid leaves Camp for Climate Action for protest at Gatwick
7.08.2008
Nine protestors from the anti-aviation group ‘Plane Stupid’ have left the Kingsnorth Climate Camp to mount a protest against short-haul flights from the nearby Gatwick Airport. The nine climate activists had been planning to protest against the government’s plans to expand Kingsnorth coal fire power station. However continual police intimidation and violence forced them to leave the camp, choosing instead to protest against the popularity of short-haul flights, especially during the Edinburgh Festival, from Gatwick airport.
The nine activists arrived at the airport at 7.50am. They then split into three groups. The first group scaled the wall next to the escalator above the train station, occupying the roof structure and dropping a banner: ‘SHORT-HAUL FLIGHT? LET THE TRAIN TAKE THE STRAIN.’ The second group mounted the mezzanine above the arrivals lounge, handcuffed themselves to a railing and dropped a banner: ‘STOP SHORT-HAUL’. The third group, dressed as ‘information points’, with t-shirts asking, ‘can I hinder?, leafleted the surprised crowd with information about the ecological cost of aviation and the irresponsibility of those who fly short-haul.
Lotti Rutter, one of those handcuffed to the railing, said:
‘It’s terrifying – we’re approaching a climate catastrophe yet the Department for Transport do absolutely nothing to provide us with a low carbon transport policy – there are a total of 139 flights from London to Edinburgh as opposed to just 22 trains. We’re here today to protest against short-haul flights. We’re well aware that a lot of people will be choosing to go to the Edinburgh Festival and we’re here to ask them to make the right decision – to take the train. In a time of climate crisis anything else is more than irresponsible: it’s Plane Stupid.’
Gatwick flies 26 times daily to Edinburgh. The same route is covered by a four hour train ride from London King’s Cross. However there are only 22 trains per day. The route from London to Edinburgh (by air) is also covered by Heathrow (66 flights), Stansted (31 flights), Luton (12 flights) and London City Airport (4 flights).
The activists are presently at Gatwick continuing their protest, after which those not arrested will return to the Climate Camp to continue their environmental action.
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World’s smallest campaigners scale Kingsnorth smokestack
7.08.2008
E.ON’s replica of the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station has been occupied by one inch tall climate change campaigners. The drama unfolded at the Legoland park in Windsor – sponsored by E.ON – where the Lego Kingsnorth is given pride of place next to Big Ben and Canary Wharf.
The Lego campaigners struck as hundreds of people gather at this year’s Climate Camp to protest the planned new coal plant at Kingsnorth in Kent.
The six campaigners appeared at the top of the construction at around 11am this morning, before unveiling a banner saying STOP CLIMATE CHANGE down the length of the tower. Lego police are in attendance at the foot of the tower, along with a Lego police helicopter.
E.ON proudly announced the construction of Britain’s newest coal-fired station at Legoland in 2006. The German utility giant is Britain’s single biggest greenhouse gas polluter. The company is aiming to have Kingsnorth 2 built by 2012. Despite claims that the new plant will be more efficient, it is estimated that it will emit 8.4 million tonnes of climate changing pollutants every year, compared to the 8.7 million tonnes the existing plant releases annually, and nowhere near the 80% reductions needed to combat global warming.
Neither the campaigners nor the police would comment, because they’re made of Lego and therefore can’t talk.
legoactivist@googlemail.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/legoactivist
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Climate Camp activists superglue themselves to RBS
8.08.2008
This morning at 8.30 AM, activists from the Camp for Climate Action superglued themselves to the front doors of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Oil and Gas Division in Bishopsgate, Central London wielding a banner reading “RBS: Cashing In On Coal”.
The following is taken from the Camp’s press release:
“Location: 199 Broadgate Court, Bishop’s Gate, near Liverpool Street station.
Royal Bank Of Scotland Targeted By Climate Camp Activists For The Second Day Running
Activists from the Camp for Climate Action have superglued themselves to the front doors of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Oil and Gas Division in Central London [1]. Wielding a banner reading “RBS: Cashing In On Coal”, the campaigners are staging this protest to highlight the links between the financial sector, the fossil fuel industry, and disastrous climate change.
This action follows the protest at RBS’s headquarters yesterday, when 15 students staged a “die-in” blockade [2] to demand that the bank stop funding fossil fuel projects including the proposed new coal power station at Kingsnorth. Today’s action, which takes place as part of the climate camp and involves members of the climate action network Rising Tide [3], will show the bank that this campaign pressure is not going to go away.
In 2007, projects financed by RBS were responsible for more emissions that the whole of Scotland. Along with other banks, RBS participated in financing E.ON – the owners of Kingsnorth coal-fired power station – $70 billion over the course of 2007 [4]. RBS has financed companies like Arch Coal, who are engaging in controversial mountain top removal mining in the US [5], and are also financing companies like Dynegy [6] who are looking to roll out new coal power stations across America.
Sarah Horne, who is at the Climate Camp in Kent, said:
“The Climate Camp has always been about far more than just stopping a new power station at Kingsnorth. The fact that the Royal Bank of Scotland has been targeted twice in as many days highlights the intimate involvement of well-known high street banks in the destruction of our climate, thanks to the billions of pounds they invest in fossil fuel projects each year. We need to shift to a different kind of economy – one that doesn’t rely on endless economic growth at all costs, and respects the natural limits of the planet.”
Sam Harrison, who is currently superglued to the entrance of RBS’s oil and gas division, said “The fact that RBS have a special office dedicated entirely to funding oil and gas projects shows exactly where their priorities lie. We need to radically reduce our use of fossil fuels to have any chance of avoiding disastrous climate change, so it is completely perverse for RBS to keep pouring so much money into oil, gas and coal. We’re here to make them to take responsibility for their actions.”
PHOTOS ON REQUEST: press@climatecamp.org.uk.
For updates and interviews about the action contact Sam Harrison on 07939 142072. For information about the Camp for Climate Action, call 07531396232 or see www.climatecamp.org.uk.
NOTES:
[1] RBS London’s Oil and Gas Division address is at 199 Broadgate Court, Bishop’s Gate, near Liverpool Street station.
[2] The students posed as oil-covered dead bodies to block the entrance to RBS’s HQ. For more details on yesterday’s RBS action, contact Richard Roaf on 07801140192
[3] For more information about Rising Tide see www.risingtide.org.uk
[4] Project Finance, Issue No. 287, February 2008
[5] Bank Track, Mind The Gap, 2007, pp 124-5
[6] www.banktrack.org”
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Naked protest at BERR
Photographs of protesters superglued to the sign of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 1 Victoria Street, London. August 8, 2008.
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Climate campers target mining corporation
11.08.2008
An affinity group from Thames Valley Climate Action, inspired by this year’s climate camp, occupied the lobby of BHP Billiton today, supergluing themselves to the doors and windows and climbing onto part of the architecture. After several hours, they managed to negotiate leaving without any arrests.
BHP are the world’s biggest mining corporation. Based in Australia, they are responsible for mining hundreds of tonnes of coal, as well as for human rights abuses worldwide. One example is their involvement in Cerrejón, the world’s biggest opencast mine, in Colombia, which has displaced 14’000 people.
With all this in mind we decided to disrupt business as usual at BHP’s head offices in London. We scattered coal in the lobby, glued to the revolving doors and nearby windows, while a second door nearby was D-locked. Meanwhile a team of mischievous ferrets slipped upstairs in suits to see what else could be done, while others held a banner outside saying ‘BHP: Undermining the future’ (a play on their vacuous corporate slogan) and leafleted the intrigued passers-by.
When the ‘ferrets’ were dragged back down to the lobby, they joined the rest of us. One of them also glued to the revolving door, while the other held a ‘Coal Hearted Killers’ banner and eventually managed to scramble up onto a bit of the structure.
A couple of cops eventually showed up, but there was a tangible reluctance on the part of BHP to escalate the situation; they seemed to want to do anything necessary to get us to quietly go away! It was mainly because of this (and because they didn’t have any easy way of getting the climber down) that we were able to negotiate getting everyone away without arrest, after the glued on folk had been unglued by the police using a special chemical solution.
We adjourned to a nearby pub where we sat in mild shock at having done what we planned to do without the expected hassle of arrests..
We can heartily recommend paying them a visit! The massive plate glass windows provide a good view for passers-by, media etc.
BHP Billiton Plc
Neathouse Place
Victoria
London SW1V 1BH
There are also plenty of other similarly evil outfits around central London – do your own research!
http://tvca.atspace.com/
http://leaveitintheground.org.uk/
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/
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Climate Campaigners Target Military Base
11.08.2008
At USAF Mildenhall today, activists linked to the climate camp made a surprise appearance. Dressed as military aircraft and traffic jam both with CO2 technicians. They attempted to entertain whilst defiantly educating the troops and passers by. They said they where there to raise awareness of the large CO2 emissions created by Military aircraft.
A single KC135 plane uses 44 gallons of fuel per minute, emitting approximately the same amount of CO2 as 2000 cars. The planes are used for air-to-air refuelling and can carry 30,000 gallons of fuel – enough to drive a car over 30 times around the earth.
One of the activists, Mell Harrison said ‘We are here to show that military aircraft are not only committing war crimes, but climate crimes also. You very rarely hear about the vast amounts of CO2 emitted by the military and at a time when all should be accountable for their carbon footprint now is the time to put our efforts and resources into tackling climate change not fighting wars over oil resources. ’
Richard Jackson dressed as KC-135 58-0036 said, ‘Nweeeeeeeeearhhhhhhh phut phut phut phut’
Whilst dressed as an ‘alluring’ car sales girl, Pete Lux said, “Even if you do not believe that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are counter productive as we do, there is still the large amount of unnecessary flying. Often the planes will do ‘touch and goes’ where they land and then take off several times. This is a needless emission of carbon dioxide, in fact during the 2 hours of our presence here we have had the same two aircraft taking off and landing continually. ”
Mildenhall is one of the major logistic bases for US Air Force and plays a major role in supporting combat aircraft in both Afghanistan and Iraq. US planes carry out about 40 ‘close air support’ missions every day in Iraq and a similar number in Afghanistan. Each KC-135 flies on average, for 435 hours each year. There are 15 KC -135s at this US base alone. This results in over 160 million Kg of CO2 per year.
Whilst at the US air base somebody with the group was told by a female Suffolk police officer that if she did not tell them who they were, how long they would be there and numbers expected, she, as the ‘nice police’ , would have to call in ‘ the ones with shields and dogs’. So looks like the police tactics of the last few days continue……
We did not see any puppies though.
As Climate Camp finishes, the group say that the campaign against climate criminals will continue all year round.
The KC-135 uses 2650 gallons per hour = 44.16666667 gallons per minute
Carries 90700 kg of aviation fuel = 126000 litres = 27800 gallons.
Average new car creates 140g CO2 per km = 12.6 kg CO2 per hour = 0.21 Kg CO2 per minute.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/kc-135e.htm
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=110
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avgas
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Climate camp activists target environmentally ‘irresponsible’ meat industry
This morning, 11th August 2008, six Climate Camp activists climbed the roof of Smithfield meat market to highlight the links between climate change and meat consumption. The activists dropped a banner bearing the message “Fight climate change – Go Vegan”.
The activists also quoted the 2007 UN Food and Agriculture report that found that 18% of global greenhouse emissions are caused by animal farming – more than the entire transport sector worldwide. The protestors argue that all major political parties have failed to address this serious problem and as a consequence the public have not been encouraged to adopt an environmentally responsible diet.
The group is calling for more people to choose a vegan diet, which excludes all animal products including meat, eggs and dairy, in order to massively reduce climate altering emissions. “An animal-based diet is no longer sustainable with climate change threatening the planet, its ecosystems, and the people who depend on them,” said Clare Whitney, one of the activists.
The fossil fuel input to produce a day’s food for a vegan is just under 10,000 calories, compared to 34,000 calories for a meat eater – the equivalent of nearly 1.5 tonnes more carbon dioxide per person per year. As such, the climate camp protestors maintain, changing the way we eat is one of the most powerful ways for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint.
Smithfield market is one of the largest wholesale trading places for meat products in the UK. Eighty-five thousand tonnes of produce pass through it each year including meat, poultry and cheese.
Phil Murray, 22, noted: “the meat industry is up there with short-haul flights as one of the most environmentally irresponsible sectors.”
The action took place as part of the Camp for Climate Action, a week-long protest against the building of a new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, which, if built, will emit between 6 and 8 million tons of CO2 every year.
(This is actually just our press release but since the back light on our laptop just vanished we’re going to have to leave it as that…)
Climate Camp Vegan Action Group
angelo.b@talk21.com