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No New Coal! Invitation to national networking meeting

Leave it in the ground | 05.09.2008 12:25 | Climate Camp 2008 | Climate Chaos

Leave it in the ground
National Meeting of groups planning to take action against new UK coal developments
Yard Theatre, 41 Old Birley Street, Hulme, Manchester M15 5RF
11th / 12th October


Climate change is the biggest threat facing us, and burning coal is the biggest historical cause of climate change. Every day more coal is burned, yet industry and government seem intent on burning even more.

‘Leave it in the ground’ is the slogan of a new network for groups taking action opposing new coal developments in the UK, including the 30+ planned opencast sites and seven new coal-fired power stations. Added to those already operating, and the coal import and transport facilities, these projects represent a massive threat to our ability to cut greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels, and would be a disaster for the climate as well as for local areas.

The first ‘Leave it in the ground’ meeting will be held at the Yard Theatre, 41 Old Birley
Street, Hulme, Manchester M15 5RF, on 11 and 12 October.

The network plans to be a way for groups to share skills and experience in different areas and to encourage collaboration on common goals. It is a loose network of equals, and is not affiliated to any political party or NGO.

The proposed agenda for this meeting includes:

Saturday 11th

§ Introduction to the UK coal industry
§ Updates on opposition to coal developments in the UK, including the campaigns against the Ffos-y-Fran (near Merthyr Tydfil) and Lodge House (Derbyshire) opencast sites, the 2008 Climate Camp and the proposed Kingsnorth coal-fired power station blockade.
§ Discussing climate change solutions, including the importance of a socially just transition to a low-carbon economy.
§ Thinking about how our network will function, its decision-making structure, name and communications
§ Planning initial events and strategy for the network
§ Regional networking between groups

Sunday

§ Media training
§ Introduction to direct action planning
§ Further discussions on climate change, climate justice and international networking

If you can only make one day of the meeting, please try to come on Saturday. We will aim to start at 10:00 and to finish by 18:00 to allow for travel. The meeting will free, lunch and evening meal on Saturday and lunch on Sunday will be available for donations.

If you would like to attend, please register by emailing  info@leaveitintheground.org.uk, with ‘meeting’ in the subject line, stating how many of your group wish to attend, any special dietary or access requirements and whether you want accommodation for Saturday night. Free accommodation will probably be ‘crashpad’ only, but we can provide details of nearby hotels etc.

For those travelling from far off, we will operate a ‘pool fare’ system to even out the costs of travel. The venue is about ten minutes walk from Manchester Oxford Road station, and is served by number 54 and 86 buses, with many others serving the nearby Stretford road. More details on the GMPTE website.

Leave it in the ground
- e-mail: info@leaveitintheground.org.uk
- Homepage: http://www.leaveitintheground.org.uk

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

Not more Green hippies

05.09.2008 13:13

You clearly haven't got much to do with your life then to spend all this money and time on a campaign with no support in the former coal mining areas.

There is the possibility of a joint campaign against Open cast, i suggest you try and set this up with the local NUM's around the country before jumping straight into a head on crash of a campaign which only expends the energy of youth.

Real social transformation happens with people other than yourself, other than green hippies, you should try campaigning in former coal mining areas first.

Northumbria


no open cast / no imported coal

05.09.2008 14:41

i was involved in the recent shipley protest site and i agree that it would be much wiser to focus on open cast coal and imported coal, two campaigns which would get at least tacit support from the mining communities.

if the only fossil fuels used in this country were the fossil fuels mined here that would be a dramatic reduction which would be a huge step in the right direction.

if we are right in believing that abandoning all fossil fuels is necessary to save this planet from destruction, let's at least make the decision to target open cast and imported coal first. we'd be in a much stronger position to make the argument to stop all coal if we'd managed to stop open cast and imported coal already - for a start we'd be taken seriously if we had a proven track record!

it seems that some people involved in contemporary environmental political campaigning have no understanding of politics!

no open cast


no understading or different?

05.09.2008 19:42

Hi, (to previous comment), why assume that people you dont know have no understanding of politics? Could it not be just a different understanding or one you don't agree with? There are load of different ways to oppose coal, e.g. direct action, climate camp, national and international lobbying, working against open cast and with ex/mining communities. We need to have an all pronged approach and focus our minds on the scale of the struggle we face. As evidence given at the Kingsnorth trial showed this week, top climate scientists are calling for a moratorium on new coal fired power stations and a decommissioning over next 20 years, see  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/09/408168.html
It's a massive issue and people are all trying to get their heads around how to face up to it. Let's be constructive about it

roo


More networking with social groups who are DIFFERENT to you needed

05.09.2008 20:37

Roo are an idealist! You say you have a different understanding, but then repeat the 'car crash of a campaign' idea, that it is necessary to oppose ALL coal. Put it this way, i doubt you are from the colder areas of the UK, cos I certainly would dig the fekking coal out myself to keep the family warm if necessary. It is not that we do not care about climate change, but that our needs are pressing now and some expedient decisions have to be made cos we can't all be young/child free and active.

No Open cast was right, rather than see things becoming more possible through practical politics and networking, with the former mining communities for example, you just want to press ahead with an idealistic campaign which involves no real politics of building coalitions on things that unify us, rather than divide us.

I support attempts to build links with mining communities on a No Open Cast , and standards of coal use which are build on sound Health and Safety levels - which in practice means no imported coal (25K - yes 25000, Chinese miners die every year in the mines over there).

Northumbria


Let's hear it for

05.09.2008 21:09

MrsThatcher. She shut down most of the mines and all she got at the time was grief from all the demonstrating classes. Why not give her a big thank you at your meeting?

Pete


Stupid boy

05.09.2008 22:09

pete, your comment in a former mining area may hasten an early visit towards a cemetary. It wasn't even funny and makes you look stupid. Well done.

Pete Moron


roo, I'm with you

06.09.2008 00:59

Yeah I'm an unthinking person who doesn't give a shit about existing communities or the future, and doesn't know anything about Just Transition or anything really, or whatever other prejudices you wanna come out with you other posters.

cold Northener


North East against Coal

06.09.2008 10:26

I'm a bit confused by Northumbria's comments. He does not talk on behalf of people who live in former mining areas.

Where are all the people in the north east who want a return of the coal industry? Most people who worked in the mines tell me it was bloody awful work and wouldn't want their children to work down there. People are still very angry about the loss of jobs but they certainly dont miss a job that was dangerous, dirty, tiring and stopped you seeing sunlight for most of your working life.

Also Northumbria seems to think people in former coal mining areas dont care about climate change. As somebody who belongs to a number of green groups in the north east I can assure you his assumptions are unfounded. People in the north east care about the welfare of their children as much as any area of the country.

keith


North East basket case

08.09.2008 10:06

Keith, hardly anyone in the North East earns a living these days. The region is notorious for high public employment and benefit claimants. The area needs real, wealth creating jobs to stop it being a drain on the rest of the UK economy. New coal mines would be just the job. And we'll get new coal mines, just like we are going to get new nuclear power stations. Make no mistake about that.

Pete