10.8.2009
Scotland’s first Camp for Climate Action culminated today by directly confronting South Lanarkshire Council whose members have approved new open cast coal extraction despite massive local opposition. They were protesting about the serious health impacts of this kind of ‘mining on the cheap’ and concerns about coal’s contribution to climate change.
A group held a ceremony outside the offices to give out awards such as ‘worst conflict of interest’ to people wearing masks of the individuals they accuse of putting Scottish Coal before the interests of their constituents. These include local Councillor Daniel Meikle, the Earl of Home, Karen Gillon MSP and Jim Hood MP.
Marty Sheal from Douglas said, “The council have consistently put the profit of Scottish Coal and the companies they work with before the health of the people of Douglasdale. Some councillors have apparent conflicts of interest, which some people believe may have been behind these decisions.”
The Camp for Climate Action Scotland has also released a dossier of the health impacts of open casting entitled Adverse Effects of Opencast Mining which paints an alarming picture of a whole host of effects from cancers, to asthma and depression caused not just by the coal dust, but by noise and increases in heavy goods traffic. Burning coal has also been responsible for most of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is pushing us towards runaway climate change, In climate terms it is also the dirtiest fuel by far.
Anna Craig of The Camp for Climate Action Scotland added, “Coal means misery and death, not just for the thousands of people seriously affected by mining in South Lanarkshire but also in other disadvantaged communities around the world who are being hit first and hardest by climate change – the death toll is already at 300,000 people every year.”
Campaigners are particularly angry at local Councillor Daniel Meikle, and are concerned about conflicts of interest presented by his family business, Meikle Construction, and his position in the council, which, for many years included being chair of the planning committee. Cllr Meikle represents the area where Scottish Coal and Lord Home’s plans to create a new opencast mine are being frustrated by a coalition of local people and the Mainshill Solidarity Camp.
Earlier today there was an unsuccessful attempt by media activists to confront him with question being asked by the local community with three people being detained.
http://www.climatecampscotland.org.uk
Update
Councillor Daniel Meikle of South Lanarkshire has arrived at the protest by anti-open cast campaigners where he abused and threatened the protesters. Police have now escorted him inside the Council Offices. In a separate development a load of coal has been dumped outside the front of the offices to highlight the strength of local opposition to a proposed new open cast mine at Mainshill near Douglas.
Camp for Climate Action Scotland
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News from Climate Camp Scotland
Thirty or so Scottish Climate Camp activists and residents of Douglas visited South Lanarkshire Council offices in Hamilton at 11am today to further highlight health risks associated with open cast mining and climate change in general. ‘Think globally, act locally’ one of them said. They held banners saying ‘coal kills’ and ‘community health not Lord Home’s wealth’. Police, however, prevented them from entering the building.
Environmentalists staged street theatre in several parts of Hamilton ‘awarding’ coal criminals for their involvement in letting Mainshhill Wood (South Lanarkshire) open cast mine go ahead. These shamed individuals were: Mr Danny Meikle Cllr, Ms Karen Gillon MSP, Mr Jim Hood MP and Mr David Alexander Cospatrick Douglas-Home.
Kirstie Stramler, Ph.D. atmospheric scientist and researcher called for an independent study to investigate the health effects of open cast mining on local residents. Ms Stramler has just written a preliminary report ‘Adverse effects of open cast coal mining. Health Stats.’ Publicly available NHS statistics indicate a higher rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) amongst people of Douglas village compared to the UK average or the coastal town of Prestwick, upwind from the mines.
Three independent journalists were detained by the police in a separate incident near Mr Meikle’s home. This councillor tried to enter his office building unnoticed and was heard saying ‘Stay away from my f****** house’ to the protesters.
Climate Camp in Mainshill Woods near Douglas is the first event of this kind in Scotland featuring a 320W solar panel, composting toilets and grey water systems. Activists received a warm welcome from local residents who hope to stop the extraction of 1.7 million tonnes of coal. Burning of fossil fuels adds more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.