This morning climate activists from around the country have shut down the
South's biggest agrofuel depot.
South's biggest agrofuel depot.
The campaigners, who say that agrofuels will cause runaway climate change
if left unchecked, have dropped a 35 foot banner from the top of one of
the site's biggest oil containers and are blocking fuel lorries from
leaving or entering the base.
Dean Rivers, who is currently chained to the roof of the oil depot said:
"companies like Greenergy and Tescos who use Thurrock are profiteering out
of the rush to biofuels causing food price rises, hunger for millions,
ecosystem destruction and accelerated Climate Change. These are crimes
against humanity and the earth from which we may never recover." The
protest is currently stopping one truck from leaving the Thurrock site
every 90 seconds.
George Monbiot, who is at the Climate Camp said "far from being a solution
to Climate Change, agrofuels are so damaging they make petroleum look
green. They threaten both to accelerate Climate Change and to trigger a
global humanitarian disaster. I'm delighted that this depot has been
blockaded and I hope it sends a strong signal that agrofuels are a part of
the problem not of the solution."
Last month, it was revealed that the US had buried a report from the World
Bank which shows that agrofuels are responsible for 75% of recent food
price rises. Despite this, both Europe and the USA continue to invest
billions into the fuels, which under UK and EU law continue to make up
2.5% of the UK fuel mix at the pump.
Julia Brownlow, who is blocking lorries from entering or leaving the site
said "Agrofuels are destroying the very ecosystems which can stabilise the
climate - with the collapse of the Amazon possibly just a few years away I
am left with no choice but to take action."
The protest will continue for the rest of the day.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Agrofuels are biofuels derived from plant material grown in extensive
monocultures.
if left unchecked, have dropped a 35 foot banner from the top of one of
the site's biggest oil containers and are blocking fuel lorries from
leaving or entering the base.
Dean Rivers, who is currently chained to the roof of the oil depot said:
"companies like Greenergy and Tescos who use Thurrock are profiteering out
of the rush to biofuels causing food price rises, hunger for millions,
ecosystem destruction and accelerated Climate Change. These are crimes
against humanity and the earth from which we may never recover." The
protest is currently stopping one truck from leaving the Thurrock site
every 90 seconds.
George Monbiot, who is at the Climate Camp said "far from being a solution
to Climate Change, agrofuels are so damaging they make petroleum look
green. They threaten both to accelerate Climate Change and to trigger a
global humanitarian disaster. I'm delighted that this depot has been
blockaded and I hope it sends a strong signal that agrofuels are a part of
the problem not of the solution."
Last month, it was revealed that the US had buried a report from the World
Bank which shows that agrofuels are responsible for 75% of recent food
price rises. Despite this, both Europe and the USA continue to invest
billions into the fuels, which under UK and EU law continue to make up
2.5% of the UK fuel mix at the pump.
Julia Brownlow, who is blocking lorries from entering or leaving the site
said "Agrofuels are destroying the very ecosystems which can stabilise the
climate - with the collapse of the Amazon possibly just a few years away I
am left with no choice but to take action."
The protest will continue for the rest of the day.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Agrofuels are biofuels derived from plant material grown in extensive
monocultures.
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