UK Indymedia - UK Climate Chaos Feature Archive

A Taste Of Things To Come

07-07-2007 00:01

Over three weeks ago, the government's chief scientist warned that for the UK, flash floods were likely to be the biggest immediate problem caused by global warming. David King told a committee of MPs that the country would have to prepare for extreme weather such as heatwaves and "torrential downpours". Two weeks later, large areas are counting the cost of the worst flooding this country has seen for over 50 years. The floods have left seven people dead and over 40,000 homes damaged. The army was mobilised to help with emergency efforts as two more rivers broke their banks and water continued to rise. Experts agree that the severe storms and flooding will become more frequent as temperatures rise.

Photos: Did Climate Change Cause Floods around Nottinghamshire? Pictures 1 | Pictures 2 | 25th June 2007: Sheffield Floods

Other Articles: Wet and wild, a taste of things to come | Floods hit York | Climate Chaos - read (and weep) all about it | Sheffield: 'Cut the Carbon' Cyclecade | A new weather Front

Full article

Climate activists glued to doors at East Midlands Airport

17-06-2007 17:38

On the afternoon of Saturday 16th June, climate campaigners glued themselves to the doors of the short-haul East Midlands airport to draw attention to the environmental impacts of flying as part of a European day of action on short-haul flights called by pressure group Airport Watch.

Two men from climate action group, Plane Stupid, have caused disruption by supergluing themselves to the passenger entrances to the airport. Supporters are there handing out leaflets to airport customers encouraging them not to fly next time, and a banner carried by helium-filled balloons was also released in the departure lounge bearing the slogan ‘Let’s fry’.

Photos: Climate activists glued to doors at East Midlands Airport: 1 | 2

Slide Show Video: Hi Band | Lo Band

Full article | 1 addition | 38 comments

Climate Camp To Target Heathrow

23-05-2007 21:54

Last summer, over 600 people converged outside Drax coal-fired power station for 10 days of sustainable living and collective education, culminating in a day of mass action against Drax. This year, the Camp for Climate Action will pitch its tents near Heathrow airport.

There will be a day of mass direct action aiming to disrupt the activities of the airport and the aviation industry, but in the interests of public safety there will be no attempt to blockade runways.

Although the location is different, the philosophy of the camp remains the same: to be a place for the burgeoning network of people taking radical action on climate change around the country to come together for a week of low-impact living, education, debate, networking, strategising, celebration, and direct action. The camp will feature over 100 workshops covering topics such as climate change impacts, carbon offsetting, biofuels, peak oil, permaculture, practical renewables, campaign strategy, skills for direct action, and much more. Run without leaders by everyone who comes along, it will be a working ecological village using renewable energy, composting waste and sourcing food locally.

Full article | 10 additions | 6 comments

Climate Activists Bring Powerstation Operations To A Halt

10-04-2007 09:00

Climate activists from around the East Midlands managed to stop some operations at Radcliffe on Soar Power Station after climbing onto conveyor belts and dumper trucks inside the plant yesterday. The power station is located just outside Nottingham and is the 3rd biggest emitter of CO2 emissions in the UK. The owner of the plant, E-On, said operations ran as normal and that their environmental record is good with aiming to be a clean coalfired power station. A spokeswoman for the protesters said: "Putting pressure on individuals to reduce emissions when companies like E.ON are profiting from this polluting industry is obscene and irresponsible. We should not be burning coal in the 21st century."

The blockade lasted for 3 hours and 11 people were arrested all of which were later released. The action was part of 'Spring Into Action' - a week of workshops, entertainment and actions around the issue of Climate Change in Nottingham.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | photos from inside

Audio: Concerned about Climate Change? Spring Into Action Now! - an audio piece

Links: Spring Into Action | Notts Indymedia | Wikipedia on the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station

Full article | 1 comment

Bradford Climate Change Action

07-04-2007 14:36

Today Bradford witnessed the unusual sight of a placard-waving polar bear. The placard, with the simple message; “You fly, I die”, was aimed at the selfish minority who continue to fly despite this being a major contributor to climate change – and the fastest rising source of carbon dioxide emissions in Western Europe.

The bear and his human friends visited a variety of travel agents in the city centre with a letter asking that the climate criminals stop destroying the Arctic. After that, he made his way to the Tomas Cook call centre on Godwin Street, where several local residents had erected a banner and were busy posting the windows with “You Fly, They Die” stickers.

See also the original newswire post and a previous Bradford climate change action

Full article

Spring Into Action Now!

04-04-2007 20:55

A busy week of workshops, gigs and actions around the issue of climate change has been taking place in Nottingham. Under the banner of 'Spring into Action' events took place in venues across the city. It showcased practical solutions to climate change. From workshops on bike maintenance, local food production, community compost projects and strawbale building to concerts and performances, it has been an action packed week. It will also acted as a showcase for existing projects in Nottingham including Country Parks, allotment projects and the Attenborough Nature Reserve. A lot of the events took place at the recently occupied former lace factory, also known as the J.B. Spray factory, which is located on Russell Street, Radford.

Links: Spring Into Action website | View programme

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |

Audio: Concerned about Climate Change? Spring Into Action Now! - an audio piece

Background: Indymedia Climate Chaos page | Veggies climate change page | Climate Change Denial (explores the psychology behind it) | How to Talk to a Global Warming Sceptic | RealClimate (climate science from climate scientists)

Full article | 1 comment

Esso: Number One Denier

13-02-2007 20:51

Thirty climate activists shut down an ESSO petrol station Feb 9th on Upper Brook Street in Manchester for two hours, using bits of fencing and traffic cones. The action aimed to highlight the link between the oil industry and global warming. As a symbol against car culture, three people locked themselves with D-locks to bicycles. Two others were locked to concrete based signs. Two large banners were displayed reading “no.1 supplier, no.1 denier, no.1 profiteer” and “closed for denying climate change”.

Climate change has become very topical of late. A week earlier and coinciding with the latest IPCC report on climate change, an illustration of a carbon footprint was found decorated on pavements in Manchester outside flight centres, petrol stations, supermarkets and a humvee garage. Remaining on a climate theme, there is to be a celebration in Manchester of the perfect antedote to global warming, the bicycle. From 30th March to 20th April the I Bike MCR festival takes place - a grassroots festival organised by cyclists for cyclists with diverse events that will entice any cyclist.

Carbon Footprints: What Do They Mean? | I Bike MCR festival | Esso garage Shut Down

Full article

Two Days of Action Target Climate Criminals

06-02-2007 03:37

Over the weekend of 3-4 Feb 2007, actions up and down the country and beyond targeted dangerous 'greenwash' being desperately pushed by corporations and politicians. The actions came in the wake of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Friday, which warned of world temperature rises of over 6C by the end of the century. The report indicated that a 4 degree rise would mean a 10% loss in global food production due to draught, flooding, water shortages. While the world slowly wakes up to the magnitude of climate chaos, Shell and Exxon Mobil last week announced record breaking profits. With the figures laid out so clearly, the nauseating hypocrisy spouted by corporations and politicians has spurred action from Paris to Aberdeen.

Full article | 4 comments

A Tale of Two Climate Change Conferences

26-01-2007 11:34

Cooling the Planet is said to be "undoubtedly one of the most important environmental conferences being held in the world over the next 12 months". Nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world are expected to attend and it's happening in Sheffield, at the Octagon Centre on February 7th. But what are its aims, whose behind it and why are the Sheffield Campaign Against Climate Change organising their own conference in the same week?

Sheffield is My Planet is a week of events on climate change in Sheffield from the 5th to the 9th February. The highlight of the week is a lecture by former US Presidential candidate Al Gore at Sheffield University. It's part of Wednesday afternoon's "global climate change conference" Cooling the Planet. Al Gore's lecture was the main substance of his recent film on climate change, An Inconvenient Truth. But access is by strict invite only and it's not a conference for campaign groups, environmentalists or even climate change scientists. Cooling the Planet is a conference for business leaders.

Full article | 1 addition | 14 comments

Nottingham City Council Recycling .. .... Bottom of the Class again!

03-01-2007 20:11

In a recycling rate league table just released by the Government, Nottingham City Council came an embarrassing 339th out of 393 local authorities, with a combined recycling and composting rate of just 18.6 per cent for 2004-05.

Nottingham's Recycling rate is less that 3 per cent higher than the worst performing authority in the UK, Tower Hamlets. But it doesn't have to be this way, if next door neighbours Rushcliffe can achieved the second highest rate just short of 50 per cent, why can't Nottingham?

Full article | 1 comment

Court rejects ASBOS for airport activists

18-12-2006 10:13

On Friday, Loughborough Magistrates Court rejected calls from the Crown Prosecution Service to slap ASBOs on the 24 Plane Stupid activists who they described as “highly organised extremists” that were arrested in connection with the shut down of Nottingham East Midlands short haul airport in September. In an apparent move aimed to avoid having the case heard by a jury, the charge of public nuisance was dropped, as was the charge relating to an alleged breach of the aviation and security act.

Plane Stupid lawyer, Mike Schwarz, described the action to the court as a “classic piece of civil disobedience” and reminded the court that “Tony Blair himself has described climate change as the greatest threat facing mankind.” Campaigner for Plane Stupid, Ellen Rickford, said, “The same day that we learn the government is pushing ahead with its airport expansion proposals, they try to use ASBOs to stamp out peaceful protest. Well, it seems their plans for that were as doomed as the aviation industry.”

Feature articles: Protesters occupy runway at East Midlands Airport | Plane Stupid's Day of Action

On the newswire: Court rejects ASBOS for airport activists | Climate activists shut airport in taxiway occupation

Links: Plane Stupid website | East Midlands Airport (EMA) website | Climate Chaos topic page | Indymedia Climate | Wikipedia on Climate Change

Full article | 1 addition | 32 comments

Plane Stupid's Day of Action

05-11-2006 15:38

Co-ordinated actions under the banner of Plane Stupid - including the occupation of Easyjet's London headquarters - took place today as part of a national campaign against short haul flights. Conceived at this summer's highly successful Climate Camp and enabled by the formation of affinity groups in Sheffield, Cambridge, Manchester, Southampton and London, it follows on from the occupation of East Midlands Airport, dubbed Climate Camp 2 in September.

Full article | 2 comments

Banner drops along M1 link roads to climate chaos

31-10-2006 15:04

A mass amount of banners were hung from bridges across the M1 today. From Luton to Sheffield an alliance of groups opposing widening of the M1 motorway highlighted the disastrous consequences of widening it. The No Widening M1 Alliance, which includes representatives from communities along the whole route of the M1 due to be widened, are concerned about the environmental damage of widening the motorway, particularly climate change.

The protest happened on the day the Government delivers it's report on Climate Change. Climate activist voice that the 'Stern Report' stresses seriousness of climate change but offers false solutions.

On the newswire: Anti M1 widening banner drop in Nottinghamshire | M1 action from Luton to Sheffield | Banner Protest at Motorway Widening | Rising Tide: UK Stern Report Sells Climate Short, Paves Way to Global Disaster | STERN REPORT - Climate Change activist responds. | HALT CLIMATE CHANGE - END ROADBUILDING

Links: No M1 Widening Alliance | Highways Agency | UK Indymedia Climate Choas page

Full article | 6 additions | 9 comments

Protesters occupy runway at East Midlands Airport

24-09-2006 10:19

At 07:55am on 24 September, 2006, a group of protesters 'breached security' at the East Midlands Airport and occupied one of the operational taxi-runways. The 21 activists from Plane Stupid said they "wanted to see airport expansion plans scrapped, a tax on aviation fuel and plane tickets, and an end to short haul flights."

The method of the occupation was chaining themselves to each other, having set up tents saying 'Climate Camp 2'. Baptist minister Malcolm Carroll, who lead a memorial service for the victims of the effects of climate change, also took part in the action. Spokesman of the group, Joss Garman, said: "an estimated 150.000 people die of the effects of climate change each year. That's the equivelant of a 9-11 every week."

At midday, armed police, dog units, firebrigade and helicopter arrived and cleared the runway. 24 people were arrested for 'suspected offences under the Aviation Security Act'. Contrary to what the BBC reported, some flights leaving the airport were delayed.

Various sources have reported that most of the protesters' houses were raided by armed police while in custody. Officers have confiscated clothes, computers, diaries and other personal items, in some cases without giving out receipts for them. Some of the protesters are due in court on Friday 6th October at Loughborough Magistrates Court.

Update: Plane Stupid in court on Friday - solidarity support planned

Other media coverage: Earth First! | This Is London | BBC | Leicestershire police | UK Airport News

Links: Plane Stupid website | East Midlands Airport (EMA) website | Climate Camp 2006 on UK Indymedia

Full article | 1 addition | 23 comments

You Must Be Choking! - Day of Action Against Drax Power Station

31-08-2006 23:00

Actions against Drax Power Station started early on Thursday morning (31st of August) and continued all day, with the Drax perimeter being breached several times. Up to 600 campaigners against climate change participated in the Reclaim Power mass action. Four main blocs gathered at the centre of the Climate Camp before splitting off into different groups, with some heading towards Drax across fields to avoid police road blocks [Early report | Photos 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Videos 1 | 2 | Protestors Audio Interview]

Meanwhile, other smaller actions had already begun - just after 4.30am seven activists occupied a Drax lighting tower. Later nearby roads were blocked by different affinity groups and another Drax lighting tower was also occupied with a banner reading "No Future For You". More perimeter penetrations occured as more groups arrived at the fence to be met with police in riot gear, horses and dogs. The total number of arrests on the day's actions was 38 people, some of whom were violently attacked by police.

In the early hours of Friday 1st of September the actions around Drax continued. Reports came in of people attempting to breach the perimeter of the fence overnight. On the other hand, the Legal Team informed that all of the 38 people arested in yesterday's mass action were released throughout the day, some of which having spent about 28 hours in police custody. There was also one confirmed arrest that took place on Friday morning. Two more arrests took place on Saturday 2nd September near the field were the Climate Camp was taking place.

For full details, see the full timeline of events and individual reports that have been posted to IMC-UK Climate Camp page.

Full article | 1 addition | 2 comments

Climate Camp News, Wed 30th August: "If not Tomorrow, then When?"

30-08-2006 19:06

The Camp for Climate Action has been hailed as a success, with an impressive collective commitment to organising the camp in an environmentally-friendly way, and with hundreds of people just over half way through a packed programme of workshops. One statement said:

"What has really struck me is the way in which everyone who has come to the camp is getting involved. People from all walks of life and with all sorts of previous experiences are here, and everyone is doing their bit to make the camp tick. From action planning to compost toilet building, everyone is getting involved..." [read more]
See also Life at the Camp - a personal perspective | todays pics from inside the camp.

Thursday sees the Reclaim Power mass day of action against Drax Power Station, and preparations are underway with people making banners, puppets and other props.

Meanwhile throughout the day the police have been using Section 60 powers to stop and search all people entering or leaving the Climate Camp [report and pictures 1 | 2] Undeterred, people continue coming and going, some taking tours around the increasingly guarded perimeter of Drax power station [pics]. Later in the afternoon at around 2.30pm the police were denied entry to the camp [report and pictures] in a peaceful but strong reaction by camp residents, with similar scenes repeated again at around 5.30pm [report].

Seel also: Drax Shares Take A Slide | Drax to Stop Smoking | Power Line Pole Allegedly Cut | Oldbury Nuclear Power Reactors to Close | Feminism and Climate Change [more] | Green Spirituality workshop | Greenwashing Climate Change | City Harvest workshop | (Some) Workshops at the Camp for Climate Action | Feedback from Green Spirituality Workshop.

Full article | 2 additions

Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station Blockaded For Ten Hours

29-08-2006 07:48

Climate Action News: Tues 29th August:
From 8am a group of nine climate change campaigners blockaded the front and back gates of Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station, sending out the message that nuclear power is not the solution to climate change. The blockade was in place for ten hours until the last person was cut out of the arm tubes they had locked themselves into to form the blockade. Police arrested a total of twenty people including non-blockading supporters and a freelance journalist.
[see Blockade Reports + Updates | Reclaim Power Press Release | Mobile Photos | More Photos + Report]

Climate Camp News:
The comprehensive programme of workshops continues at the camp, with sessions on practical steps individuals can make to reduce their impact upon the environment, across to debates about biofuels and carbon trading schemes. See Workshop Audio Interviews [1 | 2]

A Bicycology cycle caravan left en masse from the Climate Camp to establish a presence in nearby Selby town centre, holding bicycle maintenance workshops and promoting sustainable energy [Report and Pics | video].

During the day the police were allowed onto the site for a walking tour around the camp, as well as the fire brigade [see Reports + Pics]. Meanwhile in the evening people at the camp continued preparing for the day of mass action on thursday.

Full article | 5 additions

Camp For Climate Action

28-08-2006 22:32

In the shadow of Drax power station, hundreds of activists have gathered at the Camp for Climate Action [see report and location | first pictures and call out | video]. The camp, which started officially on Saturday, August 26th, is based on squatted land and will have over 160 workshops over the course of the week. For more information and background, see the climate camp special reports section. Click the Full Article link for updates.

Full article

Bicycology Tour visits Nottingham on their way to the Climate Camp

13-08-2006 15:05

Bicycology is a biketour which will be travelling from London to Lancaster (via Nottingham) this August. Form Lancaster it will be heading to the Climate Action Camp. It will visit Nottingham on Saturday 19th August. On their tour, the Bicycologists will be giving free bike maintainence workshops, holding Dr Bike sessions - come and get your bike fine-tuned - organising bike games and playing around with some crazy tall wobbly bikes; there will also be information and examples of alternative forms of energy, including some pedal-powered gadgets.

Watch video of Bicycology leaving London | Photos | Tash Photos of ride, passin' though Sumac Centre

Links: Bicycology website | Bicycology Wiki | Ian Gregory on Bicycology

Full article | 2 additions

Camp for Climate Action Approaches

11-08-2006 15:06

This summer, the Camp for Climate Action will be held in ‘Megawatt Valley’ near Leeds, one of the most industrialised areas of the UK and home to the Drax, Eggborough and Ferrybridge coal-fired power stations.

From 26th August - 4th September, the camp promises education about climate change and sustainable living, with around 150 workshops scheduled, ranging from practical building and permaculture activities to the advanced science behind climate change. Workshops include analysis of the problems and causes of climate change and strategies on how to confront it - both practically on a grassroots level and politically. Those holding the workshops range from grassroots community activists to internationally-known academics, and from MPs to representatives of environmental NGOs.

During the time of the camp there will also be a Reclaim Power mass direct action against Drax power station (the UK's largest single emitter of CO2 emissions) on August 31st, as well as opportunitites to discuss resistance to nuclear power, the aviation industry, mining and road building schemes and corporate sponsored damage to the environment. The camp will be held on a legally occupied site, and aims to demonstrate practical solutions in action. Power usage will be minimised and the site will be powered by alternative energy sources.

Recently on 18th July climate change activists occupied a lighting tower at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire. Three climbers scaled the tower and unfurled a 50-foot orange and black banner with the words 'Climate Crime' [see pics]. Just prior to that, July 15th was an 'International Day of Direct Action for Climate Justice, against Climate Change and the G8' [see action roundups 1 | 2 | 3 | 4] which coincided with the G8 Summit in Russia. In London, Tulchan Communications, a public relations firm that works for Drax power station, was forced to deny it had been sacked by Drax for failing to make it look good, after a spoof press release was circulated [report]. See also: Climate Action News Sheet: June 06 | July 06 | Social Centers meeting at the climate camp

Mass callout to help build the climate camp

Links: Camp for Climate Action website | IMC Climate | Download programme PDF

Also Upcoming:
- Call for Action against G8 + 5 Climate Summit: Oct 3-4, Mexico [background]
- UK Climate Change Bill - 'Big Ask' Lobby (12 Sept - 11 Oct)
- International Climate Change Demonstrations: 4 Nov, prior to UN Climate Talks (COP 12/ MOP 2) in Nairobi (6-17 Nov). See National Climate March, London (4th Nov) | "I-Count"

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