[risingtide] CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 71, SEPTEMBER 2007
Rising Tide
info at risingtide.org.uk
Tue Sep 4 23:52:19 CEST 2007
CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 71, SEPTEMBER 2007
Compiled and sent out by Rising Tide UK: info at risingtide.org.uk
To receive this News Sheet monthly, email news-subscribe at risingtide.org.uk
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CONTENTS:
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UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
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1) NATIONWIDE DAY OF ACTION AGAINST ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND - 15.10.07
2) CRITICAL MASS UPDATES - nationwide.
3) ART ACTION EXHIBITION AT PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL - 8-23.9.07
4) ROAD BLOCK NATIONAL CONFERENCE - 27.10.07, Birmingham.
5) PLANNING FOR HARD TIMES - 26-28.10.07, Ohio, USA.
6) I-COUNT COMMUNITIES PROJECT - AUGUST 07, UK.
7) NATIONAL CLIMATE MARCH/GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION - 8.12.07;
PLANNING MEETING, 6.10.07, Oxford
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RECENT HAPPENINGS:
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1) CLIMATE CAMP - 11-21.8.07, Heathrow & nationwide.
2) PIXIES IN THE PIPELINE - during the week of climate action.
3) ACTION IN THE LEAD UP TO THE CAMP JULY/AUGUST 07
4) BAA CLIMATE CAMP INJUNCTION UPDATE - 1.8.07
5) CONVERGENCE FOR CLIMATE ACTION, USA - 8-14.8.07
6) THE TOOLKIT FOR CLIMATE ACTION - AUGUST 07
7) LAUNCH OF RADICAL NEWS-SHEET, THE BATH BOMB - JULY/AUGUST 07
8) GAGGED! 18 - SOUTH WALES ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 07
9) AMAZON PIPELINE PLANS SHELVED - 3.8.07
10) EVICTION THREAT AT ROSSPORT, Co MAYO - 31.7.07
11) SAVING ICELAND CAMP CLOSES BUT ACTIONS CONTINUE - 27.7.07
12) ELF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH SAVING ICELAND - 30.7.07
13) CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS COMPROMISE THEATRE - 31.7.07
14) ARRESTS AT TARA - 18.7.07
15) ROADBUILDING IN THE NEWS - JULY/AUGUST 07
16) BP PLEDGE TO AVOID INCREASED POLLUTION INTO LAKE MICHIGAN! - 23.8.07
17) STOCKHOLM 4x4 STRIKES - 6.8.07
18) SWEDISH CLIMATE ACTION ROUND-UP - APRIL/JUNE 07
19) SHELL OIL PLANS HALTED - 21.7.07, ALASKA
20) MORI POLL HIGHLIGHTS DENIAL - 25.7.07
21) SPIRIT OF FREEDOM NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 2007
22) NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BANK OF AMERICA - 31.8.07
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UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS:
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1) NATIONWIDE DAY OF ACTION AGAINST ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND - 15.10.07
The Rising Tide UK network has called a Day of Action against RBS and is
inviting Climate Campers and others to organise local actions.
Calling itself the "oil & gas bank", RBS is financing controversial
projects in Nigeria, the Caucasus and Wales. RBS is a major funder of the
LNG Gas Pipeline (see Recent Happenings). The bank's involvement in
Angolan and Nigerian oil fields encourages corruption and conflict, while
gas projects from the Arabian Gulf to the Gulf of Mexico threaten
environmental destruction. RBS is also a big player in the aviation
industry. http://risingtide.org.uk/node/221
Find out more about the LNG pipeline - www.fightthepipe.co.uk
Plan an effective action - www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk
Oil Bank of Scotland webpage:
http://www.platformlondon.org/carbonweb/showitem.asp?article=258&parent=39
2) CRITICAL MASS UPDATES - nationwide.
There are currently Critical Mass bike rides in many major cities
throughout the land. Check: http://www.urban75.com/Action/critical.html
for more details, or start another one yourself!
See also: http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/3283 for reports of
police hassle at London Critical Mass.
Glossop Critical Mass - 14.9.07
This event has been organised by the newly formed "Road Alert Glossop".
The plan is for Glossop's first ever Critical Mass bike ride from Glossop
to Tintwistle (and back). This will take place on Friday 14th September,
meeting at 5.30pm. See their website on MySpace for details:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=200655900&blogID=286207685
Birmingham Critical Mass Held on the first Friday of the month, this has
apparently been building steadily with a good atmosphere and no hassle.
Meet at St Phillip's Cathedral, 5.30pm.
3) ART ACTION EXHIBITION AT PORTSMOUTH CATHEDRAL - 8-23.9.07
Art Action - Turning the Tide on Climate Change
Opening Fair with stalls, music and activities - Sat 8 Sept.
www.radicalartgroup.org.uk
4) ROAD BLOCK NATIONAL CONFERENCE - 27.10.07 Birmingham.
Transport 2000s Road Block conference - Saturday 27 October 2007, 11am -
5pm, Central Birmingham, with special guest speaker George Monbiot.
Early registration is strongly recommended. The registration fee of £20
waged (£10 low/unwaged) contributes towards the costs of the event.
To register, email roadsconference at transport2000.org.uk. You can book
places online from Tuesday 21 August on Transport 2000s website.
5) PLANNING FOR HARD TIMES - 26-28.10.07 Ohio, USA.
Fourth Annual Conference, Yellow Springs, Ohio.
"The world's largest gathering of Peak Oil activists!" Three days of
presentations, workshop sessions, and networking with experts in Peak Oil
and lifestyle solutions.
Learn tactics for Peak Oil education and community organising, strategies
for reducing your personal energy use, and participate in visioning a
viable post-peak future. Heathrow was a lot nearer!
http://www.communitysolution.org/conference.html
6) I-COUNT COMMUNITIES PROJECT - AUGUST 07, UK.
The Climate Outreach Information network is working with Stop Climate
Chaos on a new project called ICount Communities, which aims to link
together local groups working in climate change. Groups will be put on to
a map with contact details and a brief description of what they do. There
will also be a free message board service, both for individual groups and
areas.
Groups may advertise their activities; generate new ideas by seeing what
other groups are doing; increase their numbers of contacts, since they
will be able to contact other groups on the map and increase their chances
of getting more members, due to greater publicity.
Details from katie at coinet.org.uk or matt at coinet.org.uk or 01865 727911.
www.icount.org.uk
7) NATIONAL CLIMATE MARCH/GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION - 8.12.07
Action on Climate Change - The Time is Now. Before it's Too Late. Assemble
Millbank, London, 12 noon. 2.30 pm Rally at US embassy. Speakers include
George Monbiot, Caroline Lucas MEP.
http://www.campaigncc.org/
PLANNING MEETING FOR UK MARCH - 6.10.07, Oxford.
National Planning Meeting for the London & international demo 6.10.07,
St Marys Church, High Street, Oxford, 1-6 pm. Speakers: Mark Lynas,
George Marshall.
http://www.campaigncc.org/
---------------------------------------------
RECENT HAPPENINGS:
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1) CLIMATE CAMP - 11-21.8.07 Heathrow and nationwide.
The focus of the Camp was on direct action and there was a glut of actions
that soon spread nationwide. However, the anarchic eco-village experiment
was also a huge success, and the information exchange was incredible. New
solutions were being proposed to tackle climate chaos and there was quiet
optimism, wild celebratory resistance and of course a fair smattering of
grim resolve. Rising Tide groups were very well represented at the Camp.
>From direct action to communication, from soul singing to giving
workshops, from the media to the toilets - we were there! We also had the
opportunity to talk about the RT UK network and encourage others to dip
their toes...
The actions themselves targeted the corporations who profit from climate
chaos.
Here is a brief resume:
13.8.07 - A group of activists set up a climate camp on the wing of an
Airbus A380 on its way to be assembled in France.
16.8.07 - Farnborough and Biggin Hill airports, both exclusively used by
private executive jets, were blockaded by two teams of climate activists.
17.8.07 - The doors of six London travel agencies were chained shut and
plastered with signs saying 'Closed, gone to the Climate Camp.' Ten people
occupied the office of private charter company XL. Activists super-glued
themselves to the front doors of the Department for Transport's London
headquarters. A tourist joined the protest and chained himself to the
doors!
18.8.07 - Children and their parents blockade the World Freight Centre at
Heathrow. 60 people occupied Carmel Agrexco's Heathrow warehouse.
19.8.07 - A noisy and joyous kid's and local peoples march headed to
Harmondsworth village via the threatened village of Sipson.. Elsewhere,
protesters broke free of mounted police wearing copies of the Tyndall
Report on their hands and carried a banner reading, 'We are armed...only
with peer-reviewed science'. Late on Sunday evening, BA World Cargo depot
was blockaded for about four and a half hours by eight protestors locked
to eachother. The day also saw the start of a BAA national HQ blockade,
Cardiff banner solidarity, Norwich Airport solidarity demo, and a clown
visit to Heathrow.
20.8.07 - Carbon offset companies targeted by protesters dressed as red
herrings. Fifteen occupied the offices of Climate Care in Oxford. Ten
leafleted the offices of the Carbon Neutral Company in London. Five
protesters locked-on outside Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations,
saying 'Nuclear power is not the answer to climate chaos.' Twelve
protesters super-glued themselves to the entrance at BP headquarters.
Eighteen protesters occupied the office of the owners of Leeds airport,
Bridgepoint Capital, on Warwick Street in London.
Meanwhile, the mass siege of BAA national headquarters forced its closure
for the day. Also today; Newcastle solidarity demo, Tyneside Esso banner
drop, a Trafalgar Square fountain action, clowns mark out runway in Clive
Soley (boss of Future Heathrow)s garden...
21.8.07 - Climate camp activists targeted Stansted Airport in an
increasing wave of activity. Leaflets were handed out and a slogan
attached to a wall on a main entrance/exit.
During the week there were over 71 arrests. The Camp made a big splash in
the media across the globe; searching for "climate camp heathrow" in
either google or you tube will yield a whole host of articles. Here are a
few worthwhile links:
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/08/379135.htm
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/
Newly-formed Rising Tide Hastings had a mention in Hastings Observer too!
http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/newshastings/Camp-for-Climate-action.3134885.jp
2) PIXIES IN THE PIPELINE - During The Week of Climate Action.
The Brecon Beacons gas pipeline works were sabotaged during a night action
as part of the week of action against climate change and in defence of the
earth.
A small team bypassed the poor security and immobilised a total of 11
machines including tipper trucks and excavators! The pipe itself was holed
in several places. The pipeline is destroying natural habitats in order to
supply a fuel that we cannot burn if the life on this planet is to
survive.
3) ACTION IN THE LEAD UP TO THE CAMP - JULY/AUGUST 07
28.7.07 - Oxford Climate Campers took over Carfax Tower and dropped a
banner satirising the Oxford City Council logo and promoting the Camp for
Climate Action.
3.8.07 - A 16 metre-long banner was dropped from the Edinburgh Crags to
promote Climate Camp. The banner read 'This planet has no emergency
exits', and then gave the website for the climate camp
10.8.07 - A spoof demo at Bristol International Airport attracted lots of
media attention as Sleazy-jet and Fry-in-air dropped by (before cycling to
Heathrow).
Oxford - www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/oxford/2007/07/377181.html
Edinburgh - http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/4358
Bristol - http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/4991
4) BAA CLIMATE CAMP INJUNCTION UPDATE - 1.8.07
Mrs. Justice Swift struck out most of BAA's application, pointing out that
much of its evidence was based on news reports and web sites, and ruling
that, as there is a "divergence of interest" within the groups named,
[with the exception of Plane Stupid], they should not be targeted.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/4354
5) CONVERGENCE FOR CLIMATE ACTION, USA. - 8-14.8.07
Just prior to the Heathrow camp, Rising Tide North America hosted two
Climate Convergences in The States. Over 400 people gathered for the West
Coast Convergence for Climate Action in Washington. Participants took part
in nearly 100 workshops and two days of direct action including a lock
down in front of the PacifiCorp building in Portland, to demand that the
company shut down the four dams it operates on the Klamath river and stop
developing coal fire power plants. Meanwhile, at the Southeast Convergence
for Climate Action in Asheville, activists took direct action against Bank
of America regarding their many investments in climate injustice. They
locked-on and blockaded the entrance successfully. Four activists were
later arrested.
http://risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/category/front-page/
6) THE TOOLKIT FOR CLIMATE ACTION - AUGUST 07
With this toolkit we hope to inspire you to take action - at home, at
school, at work, in your community. The toolkit has been put together by
the Network for Climate Action, which has grown out of and is associated
with the Climate Camp.
This is an astonishing resource and essential reading.
http://www.networkforclimateaction.org.uk/
7) LAUNCH OF RADICAL NEWS-SHEET, THE BATH BOMB - JULY/AUGUST 07
To get a copy e-mailed every month, e-mail bathbombpress at yahoo.co.uk
8) GAGGED! 18 - SOUTH WALES ANARCHIST NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 07
http://lists.riseup.net/www/d_read/gagged/gagged18.pdf
9) AMAZON PIPELINE PLANS SHELVED - 3.8.07
It is reported that plans to build a massive South American gas pipeline
through the Amazon rainforest, from the Caribbean to Brazil have "cooled
off". 75,765 protest emails have been sent in nearly a year, along with
local protests on environmental and economic grounds.
http://www.rainforestportal.org/
10) EVICTION THREAT AT ROSSPORT, Co MAYO - 31.7.07
After over eighteen months of providing a base for activists supporting
the local Shell to Sea campaign, the Rossport Solidarity Camp was recently
served notice to quit by Mayo County Council. It seems no coincidence that
the council's moves to evict the camp come at a time when Shell has been
extensively surveying the estuary that runs alongside the camp in
preparation for pipeline development.
http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=1496
Meanwhile, in Norfolk a small group of local campaigners visited Shell's
processing plant at Bacton (3.08.07) to demonstrate solidarity with
communities struggling against Shell in Co. Mayo, Eire.
11) SAVING ICELAND CAMP CLOSES BUT ACTIONS CONTINUE - 27.7.07
After a busy summer of actions including the blockade of a smelter and
power station, the Saving Iceland protest camp has been wound up. However
they are not through with this summers actions, so if you are planning to
join them fight against heavy industry in Iceland you can contact them at
savingiceland at riseup.net
http://www.savingiceland.org/node/891
12) ELF ACTION IN SOLIDARITY WITH SAVING ICELAND - 30.7.07
Saboteurs struck at Smurfit Kappa, a plastics factory owned by Rio
Tinto-Alcan in Chelmsford, Essex. The gates were locked shut, office doors
and loading bays were sabotaged with glue and a message left painted on
the wall. Vehicles belonging to Rio Tinto were also sabotaged. Rio Tinto,
which has recently acquired the business have appalling environmental and
human rights records. Its recent acquisition of Alcan makes it party to
the greatest ecological crime currently being committed in Europe. It is
looking to turn Iceland's wildernesses into a series of monolithic power
stations to power aluminium smelters; one of the most polluting and energy
intensive industries in the world.
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/3341
13) CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS COMPROMISE THEATRE - 31.7.07
A piece in Guardian Unlimited questioning Shell's sponsorship of The
National Theatre's production "Much Ado About Nothing", mentions London
Rising Tide's blockade of the National Portrait Gallery.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/theatre/2007/07/do_corporate_sponsorships_comp.html
...AND MUSEUM
Along worryingly similar lines; BP has recently committed itself to an
unprecedented five-year deal with the British Museum, under which it will
finance a series of large-scale exhibitions, starting with one on the
Emperor Hadrian, next June.
www.artnotoil.org.uk
14) ARRESTS AT TARA - 18.7.07
Four Hill of Tara protesters have been jailed for a week after they
refused to comply with bail conditions requiring them to stay away from
the site of the M3 motorway. The four were among a group of seven who were
charged with public order offences following clashes with security and
construction workers. A number of the protesters were injured when
security contractors dragged them away from machinery. The Gardai at the
sites did nothing to protect the peaceful protesters from being assaulted.
Tara support is critically needed. The EU told Ireland to stop building in
June and is taking the Irish govt. to court on Aug 29th.
"It it is only £15 on coach to Dublin. 7 euro bus to Tara. Even a few days
and a few people will make all the difference."
Vigil Camp 00353(0) 861758557 or Rath Lugh Action camp 00353( 0) 867372983
www.tarapixie.net
www.savetara.com
www.circlecommunity.org
15) ROADBUILDING IN THE NEWS - JULY/AUGUST 07
Road building has been in the news a lot recently. The Guardian wrote
about the massive cost of the proposed M6 widening which at £2.9 billion
works out to be £1,000 per inch! This was picked up by The Mirror and The
Mail. Then the M1 came under the spotlight when The Guardian revealed that
the Government was planning to add not two but four new lanes to the M1
creating a 10-lane superhighway.
Next came the New Statesman cover story. This article exposed the flaws in
the DfTs decision-making structures that result in road schemes always
being seen to make economic sense. This is one of the strongest attacks on
the DfTs appraisal system ever written and is essential reading for roads
campaigners.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,,2138044,00.html)
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/aug/08/transportintheuk.motoring)
(http://www.newstatesman.com/200708090012)
Check out www.roadblock.org.uk for campaign updates from across the country.
16) BP PLEDGES TO AVOID INCREASED POLLUTION INTO LAKE MICHIGAN - 23.8.07
Citing "ongoing regional opposition", BP America Chairman and President
Bob Malone has announced that the company will avoid any increased
pollution into Lake Michigan from its oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana.
Good old BP, eh?
However, BP still holds its permit to increase pollution and we need to
make sure that today's promise is set in stone. BP should apply for a new
discharge permit that doesn't allow for any increase in ammonia or toxic
suspended solids.
http://www.environmentillinois.org/action/protect-lake-michigan/bp-email?id4=ES
17) STOCKHOLM 4x4 STRIKES - 6.8.07
A newly formed activist group, calling itself The Indians of the Concrete
Jungle, has struck repeatedly against 4x4's in the centre of Stockholm
over the last weeks. Some 110 have been temporarily disarmed. The
activists unscrew the cap of the valve, insert a grain of gravel or stone
in it, and screw it back on leaving a letter to the owner on the
windscreen wherein the action is explained. Three Indians have been nabbed
by the police and face various criminal charges.
if you can read Swedish check out The Indians of the Concrete Jungle:
http://asfaltsdjungelnsindianer.wordpress.com/in-english/
Also worth a look is www.stopurban4x4s.org.uk. They have further
suggestions for taking creative action against these dangerous
gas-guzzlers.
18) SWEDISH CLIMATE ACTION ROUND-UP - APRIL/JUNE 07
14 April: Climax is formed as a network of climate activists, after a
group of ten seizes the runway at Bromma Airport in Stockholm for 30
minutes. Trials are pending.
11 May: The entrance to a travel agency in the city of Stockholm was
blocked, when activists from Climax unloaded sand in front of it,
revealing to the customers what Botswana will become in a few decades.
26 May: The most heavily trafficked highway bridge in Swedens fourth
city, was blocked for 30 minutes during rush hour.
1 June: Outside the entrance to Swedens major daily newspaper, a group of
activists from Climax unloaded coal and swept it under a rug, dressed as
the editors of the paper. The paper promotes carbon offsetting as a
solution.
8 June: A street at a central square in Stockholm, was blocked for one
hour by activists from Climax, preventing cars from coming through.
Cookies were handed out to subway passengers and bike riders in the
vicinity.
www.klimatet.org (in Swedish)
19) SHELL OIL PLANS HALTED - 21.7.07, ALASKA
Shell Offshore Inc. plans to drill several exploratory oil wells in the
Beaufort Sea were halted by the US Court of Appeals. The proposed wells
were sited in the middle of the bowhead whale migration corridor.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/article.php?id=2514
20) MORI POLL HIGHLIGHTS DENIAL - 25.7.07
Recent MORI poll data reveals that that most people still believe that
climate change is undecided, in the future, somewhere else and someone
elses problem.
Ipsos-MORIs new report Tipping Point or Turning Point- a report on social
attitudes to climate change makes disturbing reading.
www.climatedenial.org.
Exeter University came up with another report claiming that Britons are
addicted to cheap flights -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6970730.stm
21) SPIRIT OF FREEDOM NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 2007
Produced by the Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network.
http://www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk/
http://earthfirst.org.uk/actionreports/node/4820
22) NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST BANK OF AMERICA - 31.8.07
Mountain Justice Summer has called a day of action against Bank of America
to demand they stop funding the coal industry which is destroying the
Appalachian mountains through mountaintop removal mining as well as
perpetuating climate chaos. Actions have been planned in 19 cities across
the US. Reports should be coming back soon...
www.mountainjusticesummer.org
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