On March 14th over 70 people attended the G8 Climate Counter Summit. With more than 20 different groups represented, an exciting range of ideas were put forward for planning diverse actions in Scotland and around the country on the 8th of July, the International Day of Action on the Root Causes of Climate Change. Great ideas and a buzz of energy made for an inspiring evening, and people were keen to continue to work together in the run-up to the G8. To facilitate this, the next planning meeting was set for Monday, April 18. To find out more and to make sure this meeting happens, please sign up to the  g8climateaction@lists.riseup.net email list.

NEXT MEETING: Monday, April 18, 7 PM, Rampart Street (15 Rampart Street, London E1)
GET INVOLVED: send an email to  g8climateaction-subscribe@lists.riseup.net.

The G8 Climate Counter Summit was organised to share information, hear reports and strategise for campaigns and action around the G8 and the issues of climate change. On March 14th, Toynbee Hall was packed with people from a variety of groups, from local environmental groups to alternative media outlets to global south solidarity groups. During the first part of the evening we heard first hand reports on climate-related issues, all of which are included in detail in the attached document. The presentations were:
• Introducing the links between the G8 and climate change
• Report from the Hadley Centre’s Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change conference
• The Kyoto Protocol, carbon trading, and effects on the ground in Brazil
• Development aid and oil
• Nuclear as a solution to global warming? (Not able to present but attached here)

The second half of the evening was a series of strategy sessions to organise for action on climate change in the run up to the G8, during the summit and beyond. We first brainstormed exciting and diverse ideas for campaigns, actions and tactics, then broke into small working groups to develop these ideas a little further. The groups strategised around aviation; action in Scotland; action around the country; focusing on the oil industry; education and outreach; and positive alternatives and solutions. These sessions were really productive, but everyone agreed that more planning was needed to take all the great ideas forward.

So, talk to your groups, plan and scheme, network, and come to the next meeting on April 18! And don’t forget, this meeting needs some planning itself, so send an email to sign up to  g8climateaction-subscribe@lists.riseup.net and get involved.