[risingtide] RISING TIDE NEWS SHEET 47

markb at gn.apc.org markb at gn.apc.org
Tue Mar 29 11:13:32 CEST 2005


RISING TIDE
CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 47
29 March 2005

CONTENTS

1. PLAN B - the campaign to end UK government support for new oil development
a) ACTION - write to your MP asking them to 
support EDM 650 - development aid for oil
b) INFO - 'Pumping Poverty: Britain's Department 
for International Development and the oil 
industry' - report
c) INFO - 'Beyond Oil: the oil curse and 
solutions for an oil-free future' - booklet
2. CLIMATE OUTREACH INFORMATION NETWORK -
a) INTRODUCTION
b) EVENT - Joanna Macy talk on "Facing climate 
change and other great adventures',  Oxford 9th 
May

----------

In January 2005, Rising Tide moved to London and 
the former co-ordinators George Marshall and Jo 
Hamilton are now focusing on exciting new 
projects. Here is some information on their work. 
(A separate news sheet containing other general 
information will follow shortly, and then we will 
settle into a more regular monthly rhythm.)

1. PLAN B - THE CAMPAIGN TO END UK GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR NEW OIL DEVELOPMENT

Plan B (formerly called 'No New Oil') is a 
project of Rising Tide, Platform Research and 
Friends of the Earth. Arising from our joint oily 
concerns from the angles of climate change, 
development and social justice, we have been 
working together to highlight the UK's role in 
supporting the oil industry.

a) ACTION - Write to your MP asking them to 
support EDM 650 - Development Aid for Oil
With the G8 leadership we have a prime 
opportunity to highlight the government's 
hypocrisy of professing action on climate and 
development in Africa, whilst continuing to 
support oil extraction. Since its launch on 
February 3rd, Early Day Motion 650 (Development 
Aid for Oil) has been signed by over 97 MPs. The 
EDM calls on the Government to end support for 
harmful fossil fuel subsidies given through 
international institutions like the World Bank, 
and instead pioneer investment in sustainable 
energy.

Please take a moment to write / email your MP as 
we only have until April 8th to get as many 
signed up as possible. We are also willing to 
give talks and workshops on these issues
We are aiming for 150 signatures by 8th April (as 
after a general election is announced MPs can't 
sign EDMs).There's an online action on:
www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/corporates/press_for_change/oil_edm/index.html ,
or www.planb.org You can check if your MP has 
signed, and the EDM wording by looking at 
http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=650

b) INFO - Pumping Poverty: Britain's Department 
for International Development and the oil 
industry. This major new report has been produced 
by Plan B to coincide with the EDM and has been 
endorsed by nineteen other organisation. It 
investigates the role of British overseas 
development aid in facilitating oil development 
and finds that - far from helping the world's 
poorest people - such aid often serves its 
wealthiest corporations, leaving the poor worse 
off than before and aggravating global climate 
change. Pumping Poverty can be viewed online on: 
www.planb.org or www.carbonweb.org or ordered for 
£10 from jo at planb.org .

c) INFO - Beyond Oil booklet:  Beyond Oil - the 
oil curse and solutions for an oil-free future
This 32-page A5 booklet brings together 
background info on oil and conflict, repressive 
regimes, development, oil industry workers, and 
climate change. Together with info on the 
revolving doors and mutual support between the 
oil industry, government and the International 
Financial Institutions which fund new oil 
projects, it lays out the UK's involvement in the 
oil curse, and the action we can take to 
challenge it.

For further info about any of Plan B's work or 
publications, or to make a donation, please 
contact Jo Hamiton on 01865 241 097 jo at planb.org

2. CLIMATE OUTREACH INFORMATION NETWORK  (COIN)

a) INTRODUCTION: COIN is a new charity which 
works directly with individuals and households to 
give them information on the impacts and 
challenges of climate change, and the practical 
ideas on ways they can reduce their impacts. We 
aim to create a powerful and vocal community of 
carbon pioneers, working together to move 
technology, government, and business to make real 
and lasting changes to the way they work.

The executive directors are George Marshall and 
Richard Sexton.  The patron is Rt Hon Michael 
Meacher, and the trustees and advisors include 
the climate change author Mark Lynas and the 
award winning journalist George Monbiot. We are 
currently the only UK charity dedicated solely to 
educating the public about climate change.

Former COIN projects include:

The Yellow House Guide to Eco Renovation a 
website and CD ROM of the principles and 
technologies for low energy housing based on the 
renovation of a former 1930's council house. See 
www.theyellowhouse.org.uk

Carbon Challenge an 18 month partnership with the 
Centre for Alternative Technology to follow the 
experiences of eight households attempting to 
reduce their household emissions to sustainable 
levels. The draft website is 
www.coinet.org.uk/motivation/challenge

Current projects include:

Oxford Speaker Series. A series of seven public 
meetings between May and December 2005 by the 
scientists, politicians and campaigners at the 
forefront of thinking on climate change- see 
below. More information www.coinet.org.uk/speakers

Incubation Programme. COIN provides free advice 
on communications, strategy, and funding to small 
new organisations building public awareness of 
climate change.

Climate Change Motivation Network.- A learning 
network of activists, academics, and 
environmental organisations exchanging 
information and experience on the successful and 
unsuccessful strategies for motivating 
individuals.

"One Stop Shop Solutions to Climate Change" COIN 
is working with renewable energy suppliers, major 
retailers, and membership organisations, to 
provide the public with an integrated package of 
information, advice, and carbon reduction 
technologies.

For more information on COIN contact George 
Marshall on 01865 241097, info at COINet.org.uk or 
visit the website www.coinet.org.uk

b) EVENT - JOANNA MACY- "FACING CLIMATE CHANGE & 
OTHER GREAT ADVENTURES" OXFORD 9TH MAY

Joanna Macy, Ph.D., is a world-renowned activist 
and theorist in finding ways to counter our 
despair and disempowerment in the face of global 
environmental problems. Her wide-ranging work 
addresses psychological and spiritual issues of 
the nuclear age, the cultivation of ecological 
awareness, and the fruitful resonance between 
Buddhist thought and contemporary science.  This 
is the first event in the 2005 Oxford Climate 
Change Speaker Series.

Wesley Memorial Church, New Inn Hall street, 
central Oxford, Monday 9th May, 6pm-9pm
Price £5 / £2 concessions

For more information on this visit www.COINet.org.uk/macy



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