Climate Chaos
Reporting on Climate Chaos and related actions.
Full article | 5 additions | 21 comments
Coal On Hold - Derbyshire Coal Mine Site Occupied
18-06-2008 10:12
On 18th June, climate campaigners from ‘Leave it in the Ground’ occupied the UK Coal’s Lodge House site in Derbyshire by barricading themselves in a disused farm building and taken to the trees on the site of the open cast mine.
Under the cover of darkness activists secured themselves in the Prospect Farm building, on the site which is about to be devastated by huge machines. Food and supplies have been taken in for a long term occupation and barricades’ have been set up preventing police form bringing in specialist equipment down Bell Lane, Smalley Derbyshire into the heart of the site. Similarly, people are locked on by their necks behind the doors preventing force being used to gain entry. The protesters have claimed squatter’s rights.
Callout: Open Cast Coal site request for help
Newswire: Anniversary of the first week at Shipley Bodge | A visit to the Opencast Squat (photos) | Shipley Bodge squatted coal site recieves papers | Lodge House open cast mine site occupied | Climate change protestors occupy Derbyshire open cast site | Noise Demo at UK Coal Head Office Protest
Recent Features: Leave it in the Ground: Drax Coal Train Halted | Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site
Links: Leave It In The Ground | Campaign Blog | Earth First UK | No Opencast! article in Do or Die | UK Coal | Greenpeace on Coal | Notts Indymedia Ecology topic page
Full article | 1 addition | 3 comments
Leave it in the Ground: Drax Coal Train Halted
13-06-2008 13:55
On 13th June 2008 protestors halted a coal train carrying fuel for Drax power station in Yorkshire, the single biggest source of CO2 in the UK. Dressed in white overalls and canary outfits, the protestors used safety signals to stop the train on a bridge overlooking the power station, before climbing on board and dumping coal off onto the tracks.
The train was stopped on a branch line used exclusively for delivering coal to Drax. Protestors used a network of climbing ropes to suspend themselves under the bridge from the train to prevent the train from moving. After a number of hours, police began evicting the protestors. 29 arrests were reported.
The protest comes six weeks before the 2008 Camp for Climate Action at Kingsnorth power station - which will also highlight how using coal to supply energy will be a disaster for the planet. Meanwhile the UK Government has "eviscerated" the Climate Change Bill and abandoned 2°C maximum target for global temperature rise as scientists warn that a safe CO2 level might be a maximum of 350ppm — we are already at over 380ppm, the Arctic permafrost is melting and "we're seeing events predicted for the end of the 21st century happening already", according to Barry Brook.
Photos: 1 | 2
Reports: 1 | 2
Links: The Coal Hole | Climate Camp
Day of Action on Food and Climate Change
10-06-2008 14:29
Climate activists took action across the country and beyond to coincide with the start of the UN Conference on World Food Security, Climate Change & Bio-energy in Rome. "As world leaders and corporations come together to talk more hot air, people across the UK are taking real action on food and climate change.
In Girton, Cambridge, Earth First! activists visited the laboratory and offices of the National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB), others came together for a protest outside Newham town hall in East Ham to object the UK's first biofuel-fired power plant to be built, in Beckton. Manchester saw some guerilla gardening as well as free food giveaways in London, Sheffield, Bistol, Nottingham, Glasgow, Liverpool and Amsterdam. Ready, Steady, Skip!, a new film and website about the joys of skipping was also launched from Nottingham to coincide with the "Days Of Climate Action" food day.
Newswire: Protests against planned agrofuel power plant in Beckton | Food & Climate Change Action - London | Day of Action on Food and Climate Change: food giveaway & anti-Tesco demo | Ready Steady Skip: Trailer and website launched! | 3rd June Food Climate Change Day of Action in Nottingham | Free Food and Guerrilla Gardening! | Day of Action on Food & Climate Change 3rd June
Previous Features: Fossil Fools Take On Fossil Fuels | UK Takes Action While World Leaders Continue To Produce Hot Air | Day of Local Action against 'The Oil and Gas Bank'
Links: Days of Climate Action | Climate Camp | Network for Climate Action | Read Steady Skip! | Eastside Climate Action | Manchester Climate Action | Earth First! UK | UK Indymedia Climate Chaos topic page
Campaigners Trespass on Proposed Coal Mine Site
28-05-2008 22:52
Around 70 people had set of to travel on a bank holiday Monday which is no easy task as public transport has a natural tendency not to run or has a limited service on bank holidays, for a picnic in a remote part of Derbyshire. The weather reports had all predicted thundery showers for the day, which seems to be normal for a bank holiday outing, but this did not seem to deter the people who had gathered at the visitors centre at Shipley Country Park, Heanor Derbyshire.
The event had been organised by a new campaign group called Leave it in the Ground and Earth First! to oppose new and existing open cast mining in the UK and solidarity to international groups who are having their lives and land trashed in places like Phulbari, Bangladesh by British company GMC Resources PLC.
Upcoming: Noise demo against imminent open cast coal mine 9th June
Audio: as featured in #5 the June Show ~ Riseup! Radio
Newswire: Leave it in the Ground’s Picnic in the Park trespass report | Trespassers oppose coal mine plan | Leave it in the Ground! - 26th May open-cast coal mass trespass and picnic | New website: Leave it in the Ground
Links: Leave It In The Ground | Campaign Blog | Earth First UK | Phulbari Resistance, Bangladesh | No Opencast! article in Do or Die | UK Coal | GMC Resources PLC | Notts Indymedia Ecology topic page
New Old Coal for Notts
18-04-2008 17:01
A coal mining firm is considering reopening a pit in Nottinghamshire which could be the deepest in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. According to the BBC, Doncaster-based UK Coal are looking at reopening the Harnworth pit which closed in 2006. The pit is likely to reopen later this year, and could, they claim, create 400 jobs, although production would not actually be restarted for a further three years. Studies are being carried out at the moment, but the company believes there could be as much as 40 million tons of coal available at the pit.
Related audio: Report from action at another proposed new coal mining site featured in #5 the June Show ~ Riseup! Radio
Previously on the newswire: Power firm's 465 deaths boost | New Coal Power Station for Notts?
Links: Camp for Climate Action | Climate IMC | The Coal Hole | Eastside Climate Action | Network for Climate Action
Free public transport for all? Liverpool activists are having a laugh!
09-04-2008 19:17
Full article | 4 additions | 9 comments
Heathrow Protesters Uncover Spy Plot
09-04-2008 13:41
It has come to light that Oxford-educated Toby Kendall, 24, an employee of aerospace security consultants C2i International, infiltrated and spied on Heathrow campaign groups across London for a year. According to people from Plane Stupid, he was "suspected" and following an investigation he was confronted and exposed. Heathrow owner BAA has now admitted to the Times newspaper that it has been in contact with C2i, having previously claimed it had no involvement in the spying operation.
C2i International states on its website that its team is "hand-picked from Special Operations at New Scotland Yard". It is run by self-proclaimed Special Forces Veteran Justin King and says it "delivers tailored advice and solutions to companies in a wide range of industries including Aerospace."
On the Newswire: Plane Stupid foils infiltration attempt | International espionage agency targeted Heathrow protesters
Links: Plane Stupid | C2i International | Camp For Climate Action | Climate Chaos Topic Page
Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham
02-04-2008 22:18
Activists from Rising Tide called for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry on April 1st. "They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes - all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground."
In Nottingham, over 30 people under the banner of Eastside Climate Action blockaded energy company E.ON's offices on Mount Street. People covered in green paint to represent E.ON's greenwash, locked onto the front entrance to the call centre offices and stood in front of other entrances preventing hundreds of workers from getting to work. Two people who were locked onto the front entrance were arrested and later in the afternoon the police entered and searched their homes in search for 'evidence' in relation to their arrest. Both were charged with public order offences and are to appear at Nottingham Magistrates Court on April 14th.
Audio: Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices in Nottingham (an audio piece) | Abuse from E-On Staff
Photos: Pictures 1 | Pictures 2 | Pictures from EOn protest | Surveillance and Specialist Equipment
Also on the newswire: Police Searches Houses After Arrests At E.On Blockade | Eastside Climate Action blockade E-on workers as part of Fossil Fools Day | Fossil Fools Day - April 1st | Direct Action in Nottingham this Spring | Notts Indymedia Climate Chaos Topic Page
UK Indymedia feature: Fossil Fools Take On Fossil Fuels
Previous features: Convictions For Activists - Climate Criminals Walk Free | 'Clean' Coal On Trial | Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt
Links: Camp for Climate Action | Climate IMC | Eastside Climate Action | E.ON | Fossil Fools Day | Network for Climate Action | Rising Tide
Fossil Fools Take On Fossil Fuels
02-04-2008 17:50
Rising Tide called for a day of action against the fossil fuel industry on April 1st. "They would have us believe that we can escape climate change with techno-fixes, market mechanisms and offset schemes - all technocratic acrobatics that distract us from the truth: the only real solution to climate change is to keep fossil fuels in the ground."
Thu 3rd April: Activists have succesfully blockaded Aberthaw power station in Wales this morning causing a tailback of around one hundred cars. Staff were sent home by plant operator RWEnpower and there were no arrests. Read reports: [1] | [2]
Tue 1st April: What an action packed day it was.. Banners were dropped in Lancaster and Wrexham and in Edinburgh 4x4 were targetted and clowns caused foodmile havoc in supermarkets. Petrol stations were targetted in Plymouth and Sheffield and in Cambridge and Manchester activists took action at Royal Bank of Scotland branches. In Nottingham activists blockaded city centre offices of E.On and in London Rising Tide played a spoof game of football outside the FA HQ to point out what their sponsor E.On are up to. London Rising Tide also payed a visit to the offices of Y&R advertising who are currently trying to convince the public of Landrover’s green credentials. People and Planet staged a 'No New Coal' protest in parliament square to oppose the proposed powerstation at Kingsnorth and others payed a visit to the offices of a company who partly run one of the biggest opencast coal mines in Europe, in Ffos-y-Fran, Merthyr Tydfil (Wales).
At the mine itself in Merthyr Tydfil protesters halted work, with the intention to remain on the site for several days. Activists also blockaded the UK's largest off shore gas terminal at Bacton (Norfolk). They blockaded the main road outside the site preventing construction workers and shift workers from arriving. In Hull, which was hit badly by flooding last year, people draped banners and handed out leaflets. In Norwich, activists from Rising Tide sent out a spoof press release announcing that Norwich Unions would be withdrawing all of its £6.1 billion investment in the fossil fuel industry and then organised a press conference at their HQ. In Glasgow a bunch fossil fools took to the streets to persuade people to up their carbon emissions.. See full feature article for more detailed info about the actions.
Audio: Fossil Fools Blockade E.On Offices in Nottingham
Reports: Bacton (Norfolk): Initial report + Update with photos | Cambridge | Edinburgh: [1] [2] | Glasgow | Hull | Lancaster | London: FA Cup protest [1] [2] + EV-EON Carbonated Water Launch + Welsh Opencast Mine protest + Kingsnorth protest + Y&R office action | Manchester | Merthyr Tydfil (Wales): [1] [2] [video] | Norwich | Nottingham: [1] [2] [3] | Plymouth | Sheffield | Wrexham | Fossil Fools Day action roundup
Regional features: Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham | The 'Fossil Fools' Day of action (Scotland)
Indymedia links: Climate Chaos topic page | Climate IMC
Other Links: Fossil Fools Day website | Days Of Climate Action | Camp For Climate Action | Rising Tide | London Rising Tide | Eastside Climate Action
Convictions For Activists - Climate Criminals Walk Free
28-02-2008 16:19
On the 10th April 2007, 11 people walked into the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and locked on to the coal conveyor and assorted plant there. Their objective was to take direct action to halt operations and thus to diminish the CO2 emissions of the E-on plant, the greenhouse gas thought to be largely responsible for climate change. They were all charged with aggravated trespass and throughout the court case (which lasted for 3 days), the defendants argued that yes, they did take these actions, but employed the defence of "duress of circumstances" or necessity, and pleaded not guilty.
On Monday 25th Feb, 10 defendants (one having had the charges dismissed due to lack of evidence) returned to court to receive the judgement. Judge Cooper had earlier said that he wished to compliment all the defendants on the way they had handled themselves and on the presentation of their case. However all were found guilty.
Audio: Featured in #2 'the March Show' on Riseup Radio
Features: Clean Coal On Trial | Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt
On The Newswire: Ratcliffe Power station Climate Action, The Judgement | Power station 10 found guilty | Ratcliffe Power station Climate Action, The Verdict | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 1] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 2] | Ratcliffe Power Station Court Case : Nottingham Magistrates [day 3]
Links: Eastside Climate Action
