Climate Chaos – Page 151

announcement of Bath Climate Camp

4.03.2007

Bath Activist Network has begun organising a climate camp to be held between thursday the 19th and sunday the 22nd of April

The focus of the camp will be the headquaters of Land and marine, the company building a 150 mile long, environmentally destructive pipeline through Wales.

4.03.2007

Bath Activist Network has begun organising a climate camp to be held between thursday the 19th and sunday the 22nd of April

The focus of the camp will be the headquaters of Land and marine, the company building a 150 mile long, environmentally destructive pipeline through Wales.
We hope to shut land and Marine down with Blockades/protests on the friday and saturday.
this is a chance to show solidarity with those in Wales who have been sucessfully disrupting the pipeline for so long, and a chance to bring the battle to the doorstep of the company responsible.

The camp will be a self managed space which will include workshops, music/soundsystem a vegan kitchen and more and is inspired by the Camp for Climate Action held last summer.

We will have a website, posters, booklets etc produced soon

feel free to e-mail us if you want any info, or to help us publicise the camp.

bathclimatecamp@yahoo.co.uk

documentary: Reclaim Power – voices from the camp for climate action 2006

In the summer of 2006, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK. Cine Rebelde produced a documentary film about the camp.

Climate change is now a reality. Leading scientists across the world agree that in a ’business as usual scenario’ we have no longer than 10 years to prevent 2-3 degrees of additional global arming that will lead to irreversible climatic changes with dramatic consequences for our planet.

However, in a world driven by profit and committed to unlimited economic growth, humanity seems very unwilling to change the course of the fossil fuel economy.

In the summer of 2006, the 5th hottest year ever recorded in recent history, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK.

With over one hundred workshops on a wide range of topics, the 10 day camp was a space of collective learning, sustainable living and taking direct action on the root causes of climate change. The gathering that showed practical low energy solutions in action, culminated in a day of protest and mass direct action in an attempt to shut down Drax.

DVD 62min + extras
English with subtitles in English, French, German and Spanish
reports on indymedia UK: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Trailer download: 2:58 min
http://www.cinerebelde.org/site.php3?id_article=356〈=en

a cine rebelde production in cooperation with http://risingtide.org.uk and http://climatecamp.org.uk

indymedia reports of the Camp 2006:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Pictures, information and film orders:
orders@cinerebelde.org
http://www.cinerebelde.org

DVDs will also soon be available from rising tide, climate camp groups and at the meeting in Bristol.

* * * * * *
Preparations for the Camp for Climate Action 2007 are in full swing. The upcoming meeting will be in Bristol on March 17th /18th.

Rising Tide North America is currently doing a Road Show. Check out:
http://risingtidenorthamerica.org

Police Critical of Mass (edinburgh)

23 Feb 2007
A critical mass of over 40 cyclists converged this Friday on Edinburgh city centre. After meeting between the art galleries near the mound they undertook a lively cycle ride, lasting nearly two hours through the town.

The mass had a generally uncompromising attitude to traffic, corking lanes at red lights to keep the mass together, ensuring the event was safe and fun for all involved.

Pounding techno music from the sound system set a really good mood for the cycle. There was a 25Watt megaphone-soundsystem with some uplifting tunes from Aphex twin, Squarepusher, a bit apocolyptic orchestral. One of the participants said “The music was quite amazing, it brought a whole different atmosphere to the ride. By changing the daily reality of people, with cars blocked and silent bikes riding to the music that filling the whole street, there is a vision of what is possible. I think critical mass is a revolutionary moment.”

Four police motorcycles arrived halfway through the ride, intercepting the procession outside the mosque near Edinburgh University. Several individuals were pulled to one side and warned that their lights were not legal. Despite forty cyclists being quite conspicuous and easily observable by motorists, they complained that several participants in the critical mass were breaking the law. Apparently flashing red lights are not adequately safe and visible, despite forty people with flashing red lights looking much like an xmas party. The name and address of one Edinburgh University student was taken, but no-one was arrested or formally cautioned, although they were warned that they may face an on the spot fine if caught again without legal lights. Despite this, the four police motorcyclists left the mass and no police were seen again after this unnecessary confrontation.

An Edinburgh University anthropology student who was accosted by the a police motorcyclists commented: “the problems they had with me were reasonable, i was cycling without any lights, they were just enforcing the law, I didnt go home when warned and was going slow on the inside lane and partially obstructing the police motorcycles”

One of the participants, an unemployed man living in Leith said: “the police were being antagonistic. So what if some of us had flashing red lights, and did not have the legally necessary white lights on the front of our bikes, haven’t they got better things to do? I think they just hate it when a bunch of people get together in a group to do something fun or radical and they cant control or dominate the situation. Despite the police, it was the best critical mass i have been on, good people and good atmosphere.”

A computer programmer from near the meadows said “I thought it went just dandily, it was good that we went slowly and blocked the whole road and there was nothing they [the police] could do about it because we were well within the law.”

“I’m going to dress up like a fucking christmas tree for the next critical mass, then they cant complain!” exclaimed one cyclist.

The vast majority of those in the mass were not intimidated by the police and continued with the critical mass demonstration, continuing along George St., and enjoyed cycling around the roundabouts and along the picturesque cobbled streets.

Edinburgh’s critical mass meets at 5.30pm on the last Friday of every month, outside the art gallery at the foot of the mound, It appears to be growing in numbers and enthusiasm as the warmer and lighter seasons approach.

Bradford Climate Criminals flyposted

22.1.07
On Wednesday evening, a number of concerned Leeds and Bradford residents decided to draw attention to the activities of a number of climate criminals in Bradford city centre. Advertisements for damaging air flights were modified to tell the truth; that flying is the fastest growing cause of climate change, the “single greatest threat to human-kind” according to the government’s chief scientist.

Despite assurances that climate change is being taken seriously by any number of politicians or business people, the fact is that new runways are planned, motorways are being expanded, and pipelines being built to increase our dependence on fossil fuels. In the face of this hypocrisy, it was clear that the time had come to make a direct statement that irresponsible criminality of this kind will not be tolerated by sane and moderate people.

Several travel agents, shamelessly plugging massively destructive air flights for profit, had their misleading window displays obscured by handy stickers which made plain the true cost of flying. Those people taking part in this vital service did so as a way of encouraging others to stand up against the climate criminals and carry out similar public-spirited actions in their areas. The stickers used are available at a cost of 50p each to anyone who wants them – just email trees@riseup.net with your order. The stickers are just £10 for 20, post free!

There is still time to prevent runaway climate change but we must act now.

Part of that action must be to expose the ongoing activites of those who wish to destroy the planet for profit. Clearly, we can’t leave it to business and government to sort out the mess – they are the ones making it because of their bizarre obsession with an economic system based on continual growth and unsustainable consumption.

The rich are plundering the Earth, and as always the poor will suffer the worst. We can all act in our lives, and join together to create a radical, and ultimately reasonable and moderate, movement for social change and climate justice.

This action was inspired by the Camp For Climate Action, which seems to have been a new beginning for the fight-back by reasonable and moderate people against the climate criminals and profit-terrorists who seek to kill us all.

Carbon Trading Company’s Offices Occupied

Today, Wednesday 21st Feb 2007, in a non-violent protest, activists occupied the offices of a company dealing in Carbon Offsets, whilst other campaigners carried out an action outside the Company’s offices in Kings Cross London. The action was carried out to highlight what they claim is the greenwash of this company, and the dangers of sidelining the hugely important issue of climate change. This action, sweeping coal under a carpet, was carried out to demonstrate their assertion that carbon trading is to attempt to sweep the issues associated with climate change under the carpet.

Below is a copy of London Rising Tides press release relating to this action.

LONDON RISING TIDE OCCUPY HEAD OFFICE OF CARBON NEUTRAL COMPANY IN LONDON

London Rising Tide has occupied the head office of the Carbon Neutral Company (formerly Future Forests) on the day they had been invited to appear before the All Party Parliamentary Committee on Climate Change, that is chaired by the Carbon Neutral Company.

This is what they have to say:

CARBON ‘OFFSET’ = CLIMATE UPSET

Today we have occupied and with any luck shut down the head office of the Carbon Neutral Company (CNC) here in King’s Cross. CNC is one of many businesses which sell ‘carbon offsets’ to people and companies that want to cancel out their contribution to climate chaos (also known as ‘global warming’). CNC claims that it will neutralise the carbon dioxide (CO2) given off by, say, Silverjet (a private jet airline), and that it will do this by paying people in developing countries to cut their own emissions with schemes that involve renewable energy or tree planting. So what’s the problem?

Carbon offsetting: an excuse for no action?

Climate chaos is an issue of justice: it is hurting the world’s poorest (and least-polluting) people first and hardest, causing massive disasters and threatening millions of species worldwide. Many people are now questioning whether offsetting allows some of us in the richer, developed world to carry on with our massively polluting lifestyles, instead of lowering our own emissions. Those who are buying offsets are often doing so with the best of intentions, but the fact remains that it’s a smokescreen that has to stop.

If we compare the planet to a running bath, full almost to the brim with CO2, to offset CO2 emissions is like saying “I won’t turn off my tap. I’ll pay someone else £10 to pay someone else £2 to turn off their own tap.” (Guess who pockets the change?) The reality is that we need to turn off both, if we’re to have a chance of cutting CO2 emissions by 50% before 2016 (which is the single most important task facing you and me, right here, right now in 2007.)

Not only is tree planting a discredited failure when it comes to soaking up carbon, many other offset schemes are looking pretty shabby when looked at in detail by independent third parties.

Yesterday, Carbon Trade Watch released a report called “The Carbon Neutral Myth – Offset Indulgences for your Climate Sins” that gave a lot of evidence and information as to why offsetting is ineffective, injust and damaging to the climate change debate. ( http://www.carbontradewatch.org/pubs/carbon_neutral_myth.pdf)

Who are we?

Our group is called London Rising Tide (LRT), and we are part of a wider national and international movement that believes passionately in taking direct action for ‘climate justice’. We reckon it’s well past time for us to get creative, to get movement-building, to drown out the rising tide of corporate ‘greenwash’ (ie. profit-driven lies), to get food growing with neighbours and friends, and to get seriously disobedient, (but to do it with a good bit of humour).

A while ago, we were asked by the All Party Parliamentary Committee on Climate Change to make a submission about planned Climate Bill. The Committee is administrated by the Carbon Neutral Company. After thinking long and hard about it, this was our response:

‘We’re declining the invitation to address the meeting, since we believe in the creation of mass movements striving for systemic social and ecological change. Engaging with the committee would be a distraction from that, as it’s not in the interests of either Parliament or private companies to call for – or work for – such change. Also, we are deeply sceptical about the apparent privatisation of the committee process, especially when the company concerned is profiting handsomely from the sale to the public of the phony solution that is the carbon offset.’

Beat the Chainsaw Pledge, Hereford

HEREFORD GREEN PARTY PRESS RELEASE:

Forty-nine locals vow to stand in front of chainsaws to prevent loss of Meadow trees.

HEREFORD GREEN PARTY PRESS RELEASE:

Forty-nine locals vow to stand in front of chainsaws to prevent loss of Meadow trees.

A capacity crowd of nearly 300 people filled two floors of Hereford’s Watershed building last night, to hear a coalition of groups talk about the Environment Agency’s poorly-designed flood defence scheme for the City. Attendees expressed support for the provision of effective flood defences – but also concern over the Council’s lack of vision and leadership in passing the current scheme by which established trees on Bishop’s Meadow will be needlessly cut down. Green Party prospective Council candidate Martin Wyness asked people if they would be willing to stand under the affected trees, thereby making it impossible for workers to fell them. Forty-nine people expressed a commitment to stand in the way of the chainsaws in order to protect Hereford’s wonderful cultural and natural heritage.

Members of the public attending the meeting expressed surprise that local ward Councillors were not present to take questions as to why they had not robustly challenged the scheme during the planning process. Disappointment was voiced as to why that process was not publicised sufficiently for residents to engage with it effectively.

The Green Party hopes that Councillors who felt they could not challenge the Environment Agency and DEFRA before, because of fears of losing funding, will now find the courage to stand with the coalition as it demands that the scheme is rethought.

Green Party prospective Council candidate Martin Wyness asked the Environment Agency representative present at the meeting: “Can you give an assurance that the trees affected will not be cut down in a rush in order to beat restrictions caused by the imminent bird nesting season?” The Environment Agency’s reply was that a survey would be carried out.

Because it is still too early for nesting, this effectively means that the chainsaws can come at any moment, even before the Environment Agency or Council looks at any alternative proposals.

The Green Party is disappointed that Hereford Liberal Democrat MP Paul Keetch has until now, not seen fit to question the scheme properly until he saw the scale of public concern. Hereford needs a dynamic and passionate Member of Parliament who will argue the case for keeping the money on the table while we amend the detail of these plans that would do so much damage to Hereford’s historic environment. A somewhat reluctant Mr. Keetch said on radio yesterday “I am assured by the Environment Agency that if there is fine tuning that can be done, it will be done”. Let us hope he holds the agency to that promise.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

It is quite possible that Elgar walked beneath the trees that will be destroyed by this scheme. There is also a memorial on the site that says that Elgar penned The Enigma Variations after seeing the Cathedral organist’s dog fall into the river at this spot.

The coalition is fully in favour of a flood defence scheme for the city, but not this one.

RRA Architects showed their alternative and sympathetic proposal to the public meeting.

The coalition in favour of better flood defences includes: –

Cycle Hereford
The Disabled Users Access Group
Friends of Castle Green
Friends of the Earth
Fodder
The Green Party
The Hereford Civic Society
RRA Architects
St James and Bartonsham Community Association
Watershed

For further information please contact:
Martin Wyness
Media – Hereford & South Herefordshire Green Party
07809 150344
mediasouth@herefordshiregreens.org.uk
www.herefordshiregreens.org.uk

On the Ground Ireland: Day four, the Monday picket, video and report

Fears on early Monday morning. Rats. Big ones. Perhaps Bertie Ahern and his corporate buddies had stormed the camp, attempted to make a profit nest under the communal bender and, as usual, couldn’t agree on anything and began squabbling, squawking and squeaking, clawing out each others eyeballs.

Video 190207_Corrib_picket – video/x-ms-wmv 5.6M

The early morning picket saw people gathering again outside the main gates of the construction site again, this time at 7.30am.

The Garda were out in early, two vans, several patrol cars and an unmarked blue car full of grinning senior officers, who drove up and down the road all morning.

30 to 40 protestors picketed the trucks, cars and buses bringing in the workers. But the Shell contracted workforce was now minus five, according to local people. Five more workers quit after the Friday morning protest.

The picket lasted several hours, including a tea-break at the Shell-to-Sea information hut. Then the “musicians” decided to give the workers a little scare, and send the message the protest to this pipeline and gas terminal was not going away. They ran to the front gate and fence and used sticks to hammer out as much noise as they could muster until the only remaining police van drove up out front. The musical protestors retreated back to the information centre and then took up perch opposite the main entrance again and hammered out beats on drums and barrels.

For now, there seems no real retaliation from the Garda. There was a little pointless shoving of several of the known local members, but it amounted to nothing.

The destruction of primeval Rospuda Valley is approaching! React!

The last moment to step in and stop the destruction of primeval swamps and forest in Central Europe: the Rospuda Valley Bypass. A letter by Adam

Dear Ladies and Sirs,

I do not know if You are aware that Poland is building a road through a part of Europe’s last primeval forest- the Rospuda Valley Bypass.

The last moment to step in and stop the destruction of primeval swamps and forest in Central Europe: the Rospuda Valley Bypass. A letter by Adam

Dear Ladies and Sirs,

I do not know if You are aware that Poland is building a road through a part of Europe’s last primeval forest- the Rospuda Valley Bypass.

The primeval swamps in pictures:
http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=rospuda%20valley&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

The investment is contradictory to EU regulations on preparation of transport investments, however, the Commision has not informed yet about the results of the inquiry, nor threatened the Polish government with penalties high enough to deter it from running the most controversial transport investment in Europe without having the decision process inspected by the EU.

Concerning thae whole decision process that took place, never in my life have I seen less democratic procedure. There was not a correct transport investment appraisal procedure, nor any democratic dispute or public inquiry. It was all done as in a totalitarian state.

There were two variants that were saving the valley: one- the Chodorki variant, and second one- the Augustów Eastern Bypass variant. Both were left out of transport appraisal procedure due to no clear reason except for wish to manipulate with the results to support one particular variant that was destroying the nature but was saving the paperwork needed to buy out the plots of land from local peasants.There is no other argument in choice of this particular corridor than the savings in paperwork!

Herewith I accuse Polish government of willfull manipulation with the data in order to protect incompetence of the people who prepared this investment. In my opinion the formal documents were prepared after the decision has been taken, and their goal was not to find the best bypass variant, but to justify exactly this option by strategic manipulating with the choice of variants analysed.

The variants included by government:
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/rozpuda/warianty2.jpg

The variants excluded from formal appraisal:
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/rozpuda/warianty2.jpg
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/rozpuda/warianty4.jpg

I would like to inform You that now it is expected that within no more than a week the trees will be chopped off. I think that You should act promptly enough, if You want to save the valley.

Adam, Transpolska

Earlier documents on the issue:
1. UK Indymedia – EMERGENCY ACTION: WE NEED 100 HARDCORE DIRECT …

“The bulldozers will start destroying the Rospuda Valley wetlands – unless they meet … The Rospuda Valley is a natural treasure, protected by Nature 2000. …”

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/362519.html

2. UK Indymedia – Polish ultracatholic government is building a road …

“In the first step of the Via Baltica corridor the by-pass of Augustów through the Rospuda Valley will be built. Currently it is the the most controversial …”

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/11/355034.html?c=on

Transpolska
http://www.transpolska.most.org.pl/

M1 widening actions pigged

Police News Management, Incompetence and Poor Attitude To Peaceful Protest Exposed After They Prevent Peaceful Climate Camp Action With Massive Over Reaction

Today, Monday 19th of February, peaceful protesters from the Camp For Climate Action had planned a series of events to highlight the environmental cost of widening the M1. Unfortunately, a massive police presence, totally out of proportion to the proposed protest, appears to have contributed to massive tail-backs on the motorway near Sheffield. The protesters decided not to go ahead with their event after being offered a ridiculously limited space in which to make their point and no protester actions took place at any time. At no point did any of them approach close to the motorway, and they could not have therefore caused the tailbacks as the Police suggested to local radio. In fact, there had been an accident on that stretch, which combined with the roadworks and the police presence, was probably the cause of the delays.

Police News Management, Incompetence and Poor Attitude To Peaceful Protest Exposed After They Prevent Peaceful Climate Camp Action With Massive Over Reaction

In a second embarrassing mistake, the Police seem to have believed that the action had been planned by the No M1 Widening Campaign. In fact, the Camp For Climate Action was solely responsible. The police probably don’t realise the link between traffic growth and worsening climate change which threatens us all.

Sam Nexter said “Tony Blair has claimed that the government is taking climate change seriously but billions of pounds of taxpayer’s money is now being wasted on a scheme that will do nothing to ease congestion but will increase emissions. There are much more effective and economic ways to tackle congestion such as improving public transport and transferring freight onto the railways.”

“Its mad that, on top of paying for dangerous motorway building, money is also wasted paying large numbers of police to sit around in vans.” he added.

The work to widen this stretch of M1 started a month ago, and work on the section between junction 6a-10 is already well under way. In total 115 miles of the M1 is due to be widened from the M25 to Milton Keynes and from Leicester to Leeds, costing a total of over £3.74 billion. Many people believe the widening will allow traffic to grow, causing more CO2 emissions. Road transport already accounts for 21% of emissions in the UK and rises every year.

info@climatecamp.org.uk
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

Radley Lake: The destruction begins – updates

15.02.2007

The Oxford Mail reported last night that a protester has been arrested at the Radley Lakes site after workers started preparing the area for the controversial dumping of power station ash.

15.02.2007

The Oxford Mail reported last night that a protester has been arrested at the Radley Lakes site after workers started preparing the area for the controversial dumping of power station ash.

“The Ant” as the man is know, had set up camp outside the Thrupp Lake. He went into the area owned by RWE npower after workmen began clearing trees today and was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

http://www.saveradleylakes.org.uk

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Radley Latest

17.02.2007
Work has begun in earnest now, with most of the trees on the islands cut down.
NPower’s lawers have also issued an injunction, served on 6 named individuals, plus anyone else they can manage to serve one on down there, pretty much curtailing most of your civil liberties in that area.
This includes taking photgraphs of “protected individuals” (guys with chainsaws and security guards), setting up any camp within a half mile radius of the lake, carrying equipment that could be used to set up tripods, or spike trees, protesting within 5 yards of a “protected individual”…
Apparently, the security guards were feeling harrased.
So- careful not to breath too heavily either- you might end up getting nicked for that too.
So far 3 people have been arrested in the latest wave of the protest- 1 in breach of the injunction (for daring to take photos on a public highway!).
Camps will be demolished after 6 hours, and Camp Kylie, previously home to “The Ant” was demolished in the wee small hours of the morning (no arrests, as there were no longer any occupants, as they’d all been nicked!)

Suggested action- go down there, bear witness, and I leave it up to you as to whether or not you take any notice of this injunction.
I didn’t!

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background & update

RWE NPower have gone to great expense to try and gag the local press, TV and
even Radio, to prevent the news getting out there that they are trashing
Thrupp Lake and cutting down hundreds of trees, causing distress to the
nesting birds and causing pain to the local residents who have made an
application to have the place classed as a Town Green.

It all started when NPower evicted a group of people who decided to occupy
the house called Sandles which had remained unoccupied for 18 months. They
went in on the 6th Feb with a team of thuggish individuals with faces hid by
balaclavas and sledgehammered their way through a plate glass window to gain
access to the house. Two girls sleeping next to the window were traumatised
and lucky not to have been injured by the flying shards of glass.

After they had evicted the occupants, the security guards, still with their
balaclavas decided to film anyone and everyone who came near the lakes.
Filming vehicle registration numbers and eavesdropping on conversations,
they were carrying out their patrols with gusto, disturbing the wildlife all
through the night during their regular passes and being intimidating to
people who were visiting the area.

A young man called Ant decided on eviction to do a vigil outside the house.
First of all for two days he sat on a chair. Then someone gave him a tent
and brought him some provisions. It seemed an act of kindness for someone
who felt that a protest had to be made. However, the continued stream of
people who supported Ant seemed to aggravate the NPOWER GOONS and soon
NPower obtained some sort of Court Order to stop anyone camping near their
property, carrying a rope or spike within a mile of the site, photographing
their workmen and security guards, and demanding that the people against who
the injunction was served should send a copy of the injunction which they
had received to everyone who supported the Campaign to Save the Lakes.

One of the people named on the injunction is a retired scientist who is
extremely law abiding and is at a loss to understand why his name should
appear on this paperwork. He did have an altercation with a Security Guard
who refused to let him pass down Thrupp Lane BOAT (Byway open to all
Traffic) saying it was a ByWay and he couldn’t drive his vehicle down it.

Anyone who visits the lakes is likely to be followed round by a pair of
burly security guards who are looking for the opportunity to have a
confrontation. Someone visited this morning and reported his path barred by
three security men from NPower, threatening that if he tried to go past
them, he was in breach of the “injunction” and they would have him arrested
because no one is allowed within 5 feet of a Security Guard or NPower’s
property.