”We will fight for that right to free protest. We will fight for democracy in the UK.” – Chris Packham.
• Defend Our Juries and the Free Political Prisoners campaign are calling on concerned groups and individuals to join us at the Royal Courts of Justice on January 29th & 30th at the mass-appeal of 16 political prisoners.
• This is a defining moment for exposing corruption in UK lawmaking. Every organisation, campaign group and individual who supports this democratic right is affected by the outcome of this appeal, whatever their cause. This is The People vs The Corporate State.
• The 16 received a combined 41 years in prison for peaceful protest in the UK, sparking international outrage and criticism from the United Nations over breaches of human rights. A 17th individual, Xavier Gonzales-Trimmer would have also been an appellant. He remains with us as a crucial part of the story.
• THE PLAN – There will be a vigil and rally from 9am each day. Supporting groups will be at the courts with solidarity events, speeches, and entertainment. On Jan 30th at midday, Defend Our Juries will hold a peaceful Exhibition Action on the road for 90minutes. Full details of this action can be found in the action briefing doc.
https://defendourjuries.org/free-political-prisoners/
You can help in the fight against Gatwick Airport Expansion plans even if you only have a few minutes to spare. All you need to do is log into the Planning Inspectorate's hearing on climate impacts of the expansion on Tuesday 30th April 9.15am onwards (hearing starts at 10am). Just by getting high attendance numbers for this meeting, we will show the Planning Inspectorate that people are concerned about the climate impacts of airport expansion. You don't have to follow the whole hearing, or any of it if you are busy. You can just have the hearing playing in the background.
Join us in this minimum effort, maximum impact action!
livestream of the Issue Specific Hearing on Tuesday 30 April
livestream of this event is available for those wishing to observe in real-time: https://cvslivestream.co.uk/gatwick/.
Please note that this event will start broadcasting LIVE once it is opened by the Examining Authority. If the livestream does not initially work, it may be resolved by refreshing the webpage.
Separate instructions have been sent to those who have registered to speak at Issue Specific Hearing 6 (ISH6) on Tuesday 30 April 2024.
Learn more https://xr-southeast.uk/stop-gatwick-expansion/
A government planning inspectorate is sitting near Gatwick for six months, examining business plans to expand capacity at Gatwick airport.
These plans will:-
Fossil fuel combustion should already be being phased out, instead emissions are soaring.
The plans are disastrous and against every expert recommendation to avoid passing climate change tipping points, which will cause irreversible harm.
Extinction Rebellion demand an END TO THE ERA OF AIRPORT EXPANSION and the beginning of living within the finite limits of our only living planet.
JOIN US in our campaign to question these plans and influence the outcome.
Livestream of this event is available for those wishing to observe in real-time: https://cvslivestream.co.uk/gatwick/
Please note that this event will start broadcasting LIVE once it is opened by the Examining Authority. If the livestream does not initially work, it may be resolved by refreshing the webpage.
Mass action across London targeting web of organisations propping up the fossil fuel economy
· Thirteen sites hit, including those of BP, JP Morgan, the Institute of Economic Affairs, BAE Systems and the Church Of England
· Protestors call for organisations to CUT THE TIES with the fossil fuel economy
Extinction Rebellion South East activists are taking part in a mass action in London today (21 November) which has seen protestors spray fake oil at the headquarters of multiple organisations to highlight their part in the global web of oil companies, law firms, banks, PR agencies, Think Tanks, and state institutions that are perpetuating the fossil fuel economy.
The South East protestors, along with other XR activists from across the UK, descended on multiple sites simultaneously at 11am.
Some offices were sprayed with fake oil, whilst at other locations protestors glued themselves to the building, hung banners at height and left handprints in fake oil and blood while activist band XR Rhythms marched to support the actions
The mass action aims to highlight the links between this web of fossil fuel enablers and to call on these organisations to CUT THE TIES to the fossil fuel industry.
Sites targeted by the protestors included BP’s London offices at St James Square, where activists sprayed fake oil across the doors, walls and windows of the building. Others waved banners accusing BP of putting “BIG PROFITS”, “BEFORE PEOPLE”, “BEFORE PLANET”
Protestors also took action at the offices of weapons manufacturer BAE Systems; investment bank JP Morgan; Arch Insurance; law firm Eversheds Sutherland and PR company Hill & Knowlton Strategies; the Church of England and climate denial think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs.
Other companies targeted today include petro-chemical producer Ineos; oil investment funders Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, big oil service provider Schlumberger; and the International Maritime Organisation.
The city wide protests involve a coalition of campaign groups including XR South East, XR Youth, XR East of England, XR South West, Christian Climate Action, Ocean Rebellion, Writers Rebel, Plastics Rebellion, Doctors for XR, HS2 Rebellion, Sky Rebellion and XR Cymru.
===================
Deb Elliot, a business manager from Reigate, Surrey, who took part in the BP protest, said: “Despite indisputable scientific evidence that the fossil fuel economy has created a climate crisis which is threatening the very life of the planet, BP continues to operate unhindered, supported by a web of collaborators such as law firm Eversheds Sutherland and oilfield services provider Schlumberger.
“We are asking these companies, which are all complicit in the continuing destruction of the planet, to CUT THE TIES to the fossil fuel industry.”
===================
Supporting the protest outside Schlumberger’s offices at Buckingham Gate, Dr Ines Smyth, 73, a humanitarian worker from Oxford, said: “I am supporting the protest at Schlumberger out of concern that among those contributing to the climate crisis are the ones who hide away, out of the public gaze, behind the big oil companies to which they provide their services.
“Powerful companies like Schlumberger, which contribute most to climate chaos, are those which are in the best position to contribute to a fair transition by using their expertise and technology."
===================
Dr Lindsay Parkin, a climate emergency educator and father of two from Brighton, protested outside the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), said: “Inside BEIS new arrangements are being drawn up to provide more than 100 new licences for the exploration and extraction of oil and gas in the North Sea – meaning renewed and accelerating fossil fuel extraction way beyond 2030 and way beyond all our Paris commitments.
“We will continue to point this out as loudly and as often as possible in the reasonable
hope and expectation that a government whose primary responsibility is to
protect the lives of its citizens will begin to do that, rather than pursue a
catastrophic policy of supine, oil appeasing, climate cowardice.”
===============
Marion Malcher, a project manager from Woking, who supported the action outside BP’s HQ, added:
“The addiction to fossil fuels must end. The huge fossil fuel corporations like BP and those who aid and abet them KNOW what we face.
“BP hides the dirty secrets that lie behind its latest big profit of £7,100,000,000. Enough is enough. Today we are exposing the ties between the collaborators and we will piece together the web of lies with our actions.”
===================
The Rev Helen Burnett, who took part Christian Climate Action’s protest against BAE Systems in Carlton Gardens, added: “Between 2015 and 2020 BAE sold £15bn worth of arms and services to Saudi Arabia as well as operating an extensive training and support programme for the Saudi military, a military outfit that supports and defends a regime determined to catastrophically increase its oil production during the next ten years.
“So as the planet spirals into climate breakdown BAE actively supplies and supports those whose policies wreak havoc on the lives of the most vulnerable people in our world.”
“Wherever we live, we need to cut the ties between these massive corporations and the oil industry which had over 600 lobbyists at the recent COP27 negotiations.”
===============
Sarah Hart, a sales manager from Farnborough who protested outside Eversheds Sutherland at Wood Street, London, said:
“Eversheds Sutherland, are used by ecocidal companies like Exxon and HS2. They’re using the courts to criminalise and silence peaceful protestors. We’re here to tell them to CUT THE TIES to the fossil fuel industry”
===============
Jackie Macey, a teacher from Dorking, took part in the Ocean Rebellion protest outside the International Maritime Organisation, said:
“We are calling out the failings of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which regulates shipping. It has failed to regulate the burning of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) at sea even though it’s so toxic its use is banned on land.
“When will the IMO wake up to its environmental responsibility? The best they can offer are voluntary agreements to companies focused on profit, these will never work, the time for asking nicely has long since passed.”
==================
Editors Notes
DETAILS OF THE ACTIONS
XR South East at BP HQ, St James’ Square
Activists sprayed fake oil at BP’s HQ in St James Square to protest against its obscene £7.1 billion profits which it has amassed as families struggle to cope with rocketing energy costs. BP makes no secret of its strategy to continue to invest in extracting fossil fuels in the face of rapidly increasing climate breakdown and despite UN General Secretary Antonio Gutterres warning that the policy is “delusional”.
XR Cymru at Hill+Knowlton Strategies offices, Clerkenwell Green
XR Cymru splattered fake oil over the offices of public relations consultancy Hill+Knowlton Strategies. Hill+Knowlton has worked for fossil fuel companies ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron and Saudi Aramco and recently managed communications for Egypt’s presidency of the UN climate conference at Sharm El Sheikh.
Christian Climate Action at BAE Systems offices, Carlton Gardens
Christian Climate Action left hand prints in fake blood and oil at the offices of Britain’s leading arms manufacturer BAE Systems who supply weapons to conflicts which increase the vulnerability of people living on the front lines of climate change. The arms giant also provides military and technical support to Saudia Arabia, enabling the regime's oil production.
A spokesperson said: "Through oil you have blood on your hands."
Christian Climate Action at Church House, Great Smith Street
Christian Climate Action also protested at Church House in Westminster to highlight the Church of England’s failing strategy to stay invested in fossil fuels and influence the industry as shareholders.
A spokesperson said: "The Church should be showing moral leadership in rejecting profiting from investments in companies that continue to fuel climate suffering."
Plastics Rebellion at Ineos offices, Hans Crescent, London.
Plastics Rebellion sprayed oil outside the offices of Ineos, one of the world's largest petrochemical producers and a significant player in the oil and gas market. Many of the plastics produced in the UK start their life at the INEOS Grangemouth refinery.
HS2 Rebellion at Eversheds Sutherland, Wood Street
HS2 Rebellion reminded multinational law firm Eversheds Sutherland of their ties with big oil by spraying their offices with fake oil. As solicitors for HS2 and ExxonMobil (Esso), Eversheds Sutherland have been forerunners in criminalising nonviolent environmental protest through the use of injunctions.
XR East of England and XR Youth at Schlumberger offices in London, Buckingham Gate
Fake oil was poured over a globe to expose Schlumberger/SLB's complicity in ecocide. As the world's largest oilfield services provider, they enable fossil fuel extraction. Operating in 120 countries around the world, with over 36,000 patents dedicated to extracting every last drop of oil and gas from the ground.
Ocean Rebellion at the International Maritime Organisation, Albert Embankment
Ocean Rebellion performed outside the offices of the International Maritime Organisation Illustrating the International Maritime Organisation's refusal to regulate shipping emissions. A heavy plume of “smog” filled the air and an oil slick appeared on the ground with dead birds caught in it. Highlighting the UN body’s refusal to regulate shipping emissions.
Writers Rebel at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Lord North Street
Writers Rebel spoke and stood in silence at the offices of free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs. The institute, located just metres from the Houses of Parliament, has received money from fossil fuel companies, regularly publishes materials questioning the consensus on climate science and has huge influence on politicians.
Doctors for XR at JP Morgan, Victoria Embankment
Doctors for XR glued themselves to the windows at the London HQ of JP Morgan and pasted images to the front facade of the building depicting scenes of climate breakdown both here in the UK and overseas. JP Morgan are the world’s biggest fossil fuel financiers.
Money Rebellion at Arch Insurance, Great Tower Street
Money Rebellion poured fake oil at the offices of Arch Insurance. Arch Insurance had refused to rule out insuring fossil fuel giant Total’s East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a project that will jeopardise important ecosystems, fuel climate change and pose significant risks to millions of people.
Sky Rebellion at Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, Portman Square
Sky Rebellion protested at the London offices of the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. The Canadian based pension fund invests in infrastructure projects including the controversial expansion of Bristol Airport which it owns.
XR South West at BEIS
XR South West sprayed fake oil at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
To protest against its plans to issue more than 100 new licences for exploration and extraction of oil and gas in the North Sea – meaning renewed and accelerating extraction way beyond 2030 and way beyond all our Paris commitments.
XR Rhythms
In June, London endorsed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, so XR Rhythms is marching through London to highlight the web of fossil fuel enablers still working in our city. “We want to drum out fossil fuel investments and celebrate the future transition to a more sustainable economy!”
Further information on the organisations targeted today.
More than 400 scientists call on Hill+Knowlton to drop fossil-fuel clients: https://www.prweek.com/article/1804197/400-scientists-call-hill+knowlton-drop-fossil-fuel-clients
Risking the Future: Climate Change, Environmental Destruction, and Conflict in Yemen: https://civiliansinconflict.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/CIVIC_Report_Yemen_ClimateCrisis_ProtectionofCivilians.pdf
BAE Systems sold £15bn worth of arms to Saudis during Yemen assault: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/14/bae-systems-sold-15bn-arms-to-saudis-during-yemen-assault
Climate Change: The Church of England: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/church-commissioners-england/how-we-invest/responsible-investment
Revealed: top UK thinktank spent decades undermining climate science: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/10/thinktank-climate-science-institute-economic-affairs
How vested interests tried to turn the world against climate science:
The Greenwashing Files: INEOS: https://www.clientearth.org/projects/the-greenwashing-files/ineos/#about
Tweet from Matthew Lesh, Head of Public Policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs: https://twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot/status/1575484547416068097
High Court Order regarding Harvil Road: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-court-order-regarding-harvil-road
Activists Banned From Disrupting New ExxonMobil (Esso) Oil Pipeline: https://www.law360.com/articles/1542379/activists-banned-from-disrupting-new-esso-oil-pipeline
Banking on Climate Chaos, 2022: https://www.bankingonclimatechaos.org/
Teachers across Atlantic don't want their money spent on Bristol Airport expansion: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/local-news/teachers-across-atlantic-dont-want-5023231
London endorses global Treaty calling for an end to the fossil fuel age and a just energy transition: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/london
BP
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/31/well-continue-to-invest-in-hydrocarbons-bp-ceo.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63560279
Schlumberger
https://xrcambridge.org/schlumberger/schlumberger-ecocide
Global protest calls for ban on private jet flights and tax on frequent flyers to help fund climate loss and damage reparations
Link to Global images https://xrb.link/wz1WMk1U
This cross-continent, co-ordinated, non-violent action, which involves hundreds of activists from Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Scientist Rebellion (SR), is part of a bold new international campaign dubbed "Make Them Pay" and the campaign intends to target private airports in other countries across the globe.
Scientists and young climate campaigners will barricade multiple private airports across thirteen countries, including Farnborough Airport and London Luton Airport’s Harrods Terminal, to demand a total ban on all private jets and a tax on frequent flyers.
The protestors are calling on world leaders gathering this week at Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, for the UN's 27th annual climate change conference (COP27), to take action to end the use of private jets, which are 5 to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial planes and 50 times more polluting than trains. Campaigners are also demanding a tax on those who fly frequently to cut emissions and help raise funds to pay for the loss and damage caused by climate breakdown.
Activists at Farnborough - Europe’s premier private jet facility - are today (10th November) locked-on at the iconic Whittle Gate, whilst at London Luton, the luxurious Harrods Aviation terminal is the backdrop for the protest. Climate campaigners are lighting coloured flares, chanting slogans and waving banners proclaiming “Ban Private Jets”, “Tax Frequent Flyers” and “Make Them Pay”
The campaign is targeting the climate destroying, jet-setting life-styles of billionaires and multi-millionaires which are exacerbating climate breakdown and condemning the global majority to a lifetime of poverty.
Today’s international action is taking place as COP27 enters its fourth day at Sharm El Sheikh – a day designated as both Science Day and the Youth and Future Generation Day.
The protests also seek to highlight a proposal made by the Least Developed Countries Group - which represents the most climate-vulnerable countries at COP27 - for a global aviation tax to fund climate finance, address loss & damage, and adaptation in their countries. Multiple national Citizens’ Assemblies have shown that ordinary people support the “Make Them Pay” campaign demands.
Research has shown that just 1% of the global population produces over a half of total aviation emissions while 80% of the global population have never actually stepped foot onboard an aircraft.
Dr. Gianluca Grimalda, social science researcher, and a member of the Scientist Rebellion, said: “It is obscene that Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates can fly their private jets tax free, while global communities starve. It’s only fair that wealthy polluters pay the most into climate loss and damage funds to help the most vulnerable countries adapt.”
Finlay Asher, an aviation worker said: “Aviation represents the pinnacle of climate injustice and emissions inequality, I can’t stand by watching the emissions from my industry continue to grow and contribute to the climate carnage wreaking havoc around the world, private jet sales are booming we're utterly failing on economic and climate justice”
Youth climate campaigner Hallie said: “The future of humanity and civilisation as we know it is at play at COP27. It’s Code Red for Humanity.” and youth activist Becca concluded “Private flights are costing us the Earth and are flying us headlong towards extinction. Private jets must be banned. Climate Reparations Now.”
– ENDS –
EDITORS NOTES
Extinction Rebellion
Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a decentralised, international and politically non-partisan movement using non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act justly on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.
To learn more about XR’s three demands please visit the Global website at https://rebellion.global/about-us/ & in the UK visit https://extinctionrebellion.uk/the-truth/demands/
Scientist Rebellion
Scientist Rebellion are scientists and academics who believe we should expose the reality and severity of the climate and ecological emergency by engaging in non-violent civil disobedience. Unless those best placed to understand behave as if this is an emergency, we cannot expect the public to do so. Some believe that appearing “alarmist” is detrimental - but we are terrified by what we see, and believe it is both vital and right to express our fears openly.
To learn more visit: https://scientistrebellion.com
COP27
The Conference of the Parties official website https://www.cop27.eg/
MakeThem Pay Campaign
Campaign website: https://makethempay.info/
Least Developed Countries - Aviation / Loss and Damage / Climate Adaptation
https://www.ldc-climate.org/
Vulnerable countries demand global tax to pay for climate-led loss and damage
https://www.ldc-climate.org/press_release/ministers-from-the-least-developed-countries-meet-in-dakar-to-discuss-the-groups-climate-change-priorities-ahead-of-cop27/
https://unfccc.int/topics/adaptation-and-resilience/the-big-picture/what-do-adaptation-to-climate-change-and-climate-resilience-mean
Citizens Assemblies recommendations on private jets and frequent flyer taxes
Multiple national Citizens’ Assemblies have produced such recommendations for the aviation sector, including:
Aviation Inequality
The MASSIVE Inequality of Flying (Part 10: Sustainable Aviation)
Flying is the fastest way we can burn fossil fuels and produce greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a highly unequal activity as only 2% to 4% of the global population flew internationally in 2018, and only 1% of world population emitted 50% of CO2 from commercial aviation. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...)
Private jets are even worse as they are 5 to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes (per passenger), and 50 times more polluting than trains (https://www.transportenvironment.org/...)
Moreover, 1% of the global population produces over a half of total aviation emissions while 80% of the global population have never actually stepped foot onboard an aircraft
The Polluter Elite
https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/elon-musk-new-private-jet-gulfstream-g700-11563321.html
https://simpleflying.com/bill-gates-private-jet-collection/
https://www.therichest.com/luxury/amazon-air-inside-jeff-bezos-insane-150-million-private-jets/
CODE RED FOR HUMANITY
Video message by UN Secretary General at the WGII AR6 press conference
IPCC adaptation report ‘a damning indictment of failed global leadership on climate’
https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/02/1112852
Scientist Rebellion on Climate Change, Inequality and Resistance.
There is universal scientific consensus that climate change is caused by GHG emissions associated with the burning of fossil fuels in activities such as transport, heating, production. Historically, emissions have been marked by strong inequalities, both within and between countries. The US and Europe alone have produced about 50% of GHGs, even if the share of their world population is only 17% (Ritchie, 2019). Sub-Saharan African countries, with roughly the same amount of population, have produced only 4% of total emissions (Chancel et al., 2022) but are most vulnerable to seeing their land becoming completely uninhabitable by 2070 (Xu et al., 2020).
Moreover, wealthy people emit a much larger amount of GHGs than the average world citizen. The typical person in the top 1% of the global wealth emissions distribution emits hundreds of times more GHGs than the average person in the bottom half of the emission distribution (Chancel et al., 2022).
XR and SR citizens and scientists say that stopping these outrageous disparities in emissions is not only a moral imperative. It is also the most efficient way to contain emissions and avoid the most nefarious consequences of the incoming eco-climate breakdown. Banning private jets and yachts and introducing taxes on luxury consumption are examples of essential measures that policy-makers at the COP27 should implement immediately.
XR and SR practice civil resistance against the current model of economic development, which is leading us to a “collective suicide”, as vividly stated by UN Secreterary General Antonio Guterres. XR and SR citizens and scientists are aware that their action will break the law and that they will be put under arrest for these actions. Nonetheless, they think that civil resistance is necessary for societies to switch toward emergency mode, albeit past the eleventh hour.
References:
Armstrong McKay, David I., Arie Staal, Jesse F. Abrams, Ricarda Winkelmann, Boris Sakschewski, Sina Loriani, Ingo Fetzer, Sarah E. Cornell, Johan Rockström, and Timothy M. Lenton. "Exceeding 1.5° C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points." Science 377, no. 6611 (2022): eabn7950.
Barros, B., & Wilk, R. (2021). The outsized carbon footprints of the super-rich. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 17(1), 316-322.
Chancel, L. Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman (2022). World Inequality Report: . https://wir2022.wid.world/
IPCC, 2022: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [P.R. Shukla, J. Skea, R. Slade, A. Al Khourdajie, R. van Diemen, D. McCollum, M. Pathak, S. Some, P. Vyas, R. Fradera, M. Belkacemi, A. Hasija, G. Lisboa, S. Luz, J. Malley, (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA. doi: 10.1017/9781009157926
Ritchie, H. (2019: Who has contributed most to global CO2 emissions?, Our World in data: https://ourworldindata.org/contributed-most-global-co2
Steffen, Will, Katherine Richardson, Johan Rockström, Sarah E. Cornell, Ingo Fetzer, Elena M. Bennett, Reinette Biggs et al. "Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet." science 347, no. 6223 (2015): 1259855.
Wallace-Wells, D. (2019). The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, Crown InternationalXu, C., Kohler, T. A., Lenton, T. M., Svenning, J. C., & Scheffer, M. (2020). Future of the human climate niche. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(21), 11350-11355.
Will you resist? The SLP, ExxonMobil's new Southampton to London Heathrow aviation fuel pipeline, is cutting a swathe of destruction across South East England; putting planet and people before profit and enabling our government's ecocidal airport expansion plans.
Will you be complicit? or will you join in the resistance and #StopTheSLP ?
Listen to this powerful testimony and decide.
"We're on the brink, we see the decades of denial and failure to act. Ice caps melting, forests on fire, floods and famine"
Learn more : https://xr-southeast.uk/stop-the-southampton-to-london-heathrow-pipeline/
Press Release : Extinction Rebellion stops work on aviation fuel pipeline to Heathrow.
Extinction Rebellion South East UK
Photographs, please click here
Livestream from around 10.00am and available afterwards
https://www.facebook.com/XRSouthEastUK/
Updates on twitter https://twitter.com/XrSouthEastUK
For Immediate Publication
— START —
Funeral cortege of eco-protestors invade site to dig grave and mourn the climate destruction that the project will wreak across the globe.
Work on the new 97km aviation fuel pipeline from the Southampton Fawley Refinery to London Heathrow is being disrupted today (25th June) by climate protestors digging a grave and mourning the grim prospects for the future of life on Earth if prompt action is not taken to stop the use of fossil fuels.
To the heartbeat of a single drum, protesters walked solemnly in a dignified procession to where a funeral service was conducted at Naishes Lane, Church Crookham in Hampshire. A child’s white coffin was interred, signifying the loss of children’s futures across the world should the Government fail to act on the climate and ecological emergency. There must be no new fossil fuel infrastructure.
The activists are demanding that work on the pipeline, which will increase the volume of aviation fuel to Heathrow airport, be stopped because it is inconsistent with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions. Flying is the fastest way to burn climate damaging fossil fuels.
At the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow last December the UK government emphasised the need to reduce the aviation sector’s contribution to climate change as essential, yet they plan to grow air traffic 60% by 2050; a completely unsustainable prospect and against the advice of the UK Climate Change Committee.
Climate change is real. The facts have been known for decades by ExxonMobil, whose subsidiary Esso Petroleum Ltd, is constructing the pipeline. Exxon has denied the overwhelming scientific consensus on man-made climate change since the 1960s, responding by financially sponsoring climate science denial. They have continued to exploit and profit from oil and gas despite knowing the harm they are causing to people and nature. The immediate damage to nature as a result of the construction works is readily visible in the South East as a swathe of destruction is carved across woodland, country parks, open spaces and disturbingly across the globally threatened heathland of the Thames Basin Heaths, a habitat rarer than rainforest.
Hannah Shelley, 32, an Actuarial Pensions Consultant from Farnborough said
“We’ve got to stop this pipeline. Once you've seen the evidence, you know that flying is the fastest way to fry the planet. Things are going to change, mother nature will make sure of that, but it'll be better if we take action first to stop the worst of the chaos climate breakdown will bring."
Deborah Elliott, 63, a Business Travel Manager said
“After 40+ years in the travel industry I’ve seen the changes - families used to have just one holiday a year. Then those richer families added more flights; a ski trip, a weekend break, half term holidays or a stag/hen do abroad. The plans to grow air traffic 60% by 2050 is nonsensical as only the wealthiest will benefit, causing carbon emissions and climate change which will affect the poorest amongst us most. And, Exxon know the science, the damage and continue to push their products”
Danielle McHallam, 33 a Sales Manager from Farnborough said
"The world is dying before our eyes and I'm here because protest seems to be the only way to get my voice heard and soon the new police bill may deny me even that. I’ve made a no-flight pledge. People must stop flying"
Climate concern is high right across society, with polls from around the world demonstrating that governments have a clear mandate to make the changes needed to ensure that we leave a habitable world for coming generations. This is particularly so in the UK where 80% of people see the climate crisis as a global emergency.
We’re at a crucial moment in history. Our climate is breaking down and life on Earth is dying: accelerated by our economic system and supported by politicians. But, together we can change this, Join us.
Sign up to learn more about our Summer Uprising which starts on 16th July.
https://xrb.link/s6L3VB5mt6
You are invited. All are welcome.
Notes for Editors:
XR South East Campaigns
https://xr-southeast.uk/stop-the-southampton-to-london-heathrow-pipeline/
XR South East Press
https://xr-southeast.uk/press/
XR South East Social Media
https://linktr.ee/xrsoutheastuk
Unicef : Uniting for Global Food Security conference in Berlin 24th June 2022"
As is always the case, none of this is the responsibility of children and yet, they pay the highest price”
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-uniting-global-food-security
COP26 Declaration : International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cop-26-declaration-international-aviation-climate-ambition-coalition/cop-26-declaration-international-aviation-climate-ambition-coalition
Public Support for Action on Climate Change
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/01/cop26-polling-data-is-overwhelming-people-want-leaders-to-act
The Massive Inequality of Flying - the fastest way to burn fossil fuels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_hH3xCiAY
Naishes Lane, Church Crookham
https://www.naisheslanesangs.co.uk/
Thames Basin Heaths
https://www.tbhpartnership.org.uk/
Extinction Rebellion's Immediate Demand : Stop the Fossil Fuel Economy
https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2022/01/23/xr-uk-strategy-2022/
NO NEW FOSSIL FUEL INVESTMENT
NO NEW FOSSIL FUEL LICENCES
END FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES NOW
Investment: Since the Paris Agreement, fossil fuel lending has increased every year and could surpass $1trn by 2030. The financial sector, along with governments, is the key enabler of an economic model built on causing harm.
Licences: The government must commit to end new concessions, licensing or leasing rounds for oil and gas production and exploration and to set a Paris-aligned date for ending oil and gas production and exploration on all territory over which they have jurisdiction.
Subsidies, the UK is one of the worst of the OECD-member nations, calculating that it gave on average £16 billion a year to support fossil fuels in 2017–19.
That’s £43,835,616 per day – over £300 million a week – taken from our tax, and given to murderers.
About Extinction Rebellion
Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction, global pollution, and abrupt, runaway climate change. Societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices, with human extinction also a possibility, if rapid action is not taken. Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inactivity by their Government.
Extinction Rebellion’s key demands are:
1. Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
2. Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.3. Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
Dear Rebels, Welcome to this February edition of South East Action Roundup, featuring actions by rebels in our region
POLLY HIGGINS AT NEWLANDS CORNER
Getting ready for Rebellion on April 9th in Hyde Park!!
Rebels from Godalming, Farnham, Farnborough, Guildford, Woking and Reading, joined forces and set up a stall at the visitor centre. They engaged the public with the presence of the “Polly Higgins” boat, art activities, a climate crisis questionnaire and a lot of long and interesting conversations.
BRIGHTON
No Pensions Without Representation! Rebels joined other climate campaigners in a procession through the streets of Brighton and Hove, to demand that Brighton and Hove City Council have a say over the local government pension scheme. A brighton councillor will bring a proposal to the June meeting of the East Sussex Pension Board as BHCC backs fossil fuel divestment for a third time. Rebels wore american-revolution-style tricorn hats, 18th century coats and golden sashes as they marched between Brighton town hall and Hove town hall, which is where the meeting was taking place. Banner’s read: “No Pensions Without Representation! It’s time to divest Brighton & Hove’s pensions from fossil fuels.” 
CANTERBURY CLIMATE STRIKE
Canterbury rebels held their regular Friday Climate strike in the middle of Canterbury high street. It was a chance to meet and greet the public and fellow rebels. 
REIGATE & REDHILL AND DORKING BARCLAYS VIGIL
XR Reigate & Redhill and Dorking, along with local members of Christian Climate Action, held a vigil outside the Redhill Barclay’s branch. Several good conversations were had, as part of this nationwide campaign, to raise awareness of Barclay’s continued funding of fossil fuel interests. 
EPSOM & EWELL
“For Peat’s sake!!” Epsom & Ewell XR rebels were in the town centre, with the message that peat needs to stay in peat bogs - and should not be cut and turned into compost. Rebels were asking passers-by buy peat free compost and giving out information about where to get it.
FLEET, FARNBOROUGH AND CAMBERLEY
Rebels block Farnborough airport’s main gate Rebels from surrounding local groups blocked the main gate at Farnborough Airport for two hours. Some rebels had fake oil poured over them to highlight the polluting nature of the private jets and the damage caused by our high carbon economy. There was drumming from the samba band and the protest was family friendly, the children present were reminding everyone of how important it is to stop global heating.
HASTINGS
Hastings Borough Council have "Sat on their hands" - they were held to account for doing too little since they declared a climate emergency 3 years ago. Rebels are calling on their council to step up to their ambitious target of net zero carbon by 2030. In part this is to demand action, but it is also to demand the truth, because it’s time to get real.
NEWBURY Bank Job!
Rebels braved the rain to protest outside HSBC and Barclays against their continued huge financing of fossil fuels. Oil, coal and gas must stay in the ground if we are to avoid rising temperatures that will threaten life on earth as we know it. The action got great local press coverage too! 
SOUTHSEA BUS STOP SUBVERTISING
Rebels did their first bus stop ad subvertising in Southsea, Portsmouth, drawing attention to Barclay’s investment in fossil fuels. 
LEGO REBELLION - END COAL NOW!
The smallest rebels of Extinction Rebellion have been in action again, they're unstoppable! The Bravus Mining and Resources (previously known as Adani) train full of coal was no problem to Lego Rebellion.
Paint The Symbol Lego Rebels have started their Paint The Symbol campaign!
Dissent breeds dissent. This is how Otpor started. And they overthrew Milosevic.
REMEMBER : No-one is too small to make a difference!
Thanks for rebelling and reading. See you on the streets again some time...
Love and Rage, South East Anchor Circle
This is a real warning from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
What does this mean?
Extreme weather events happening more frequently and more severely. crops failing around the world, prices rising in our supermarkets and huge swathes of our planet becoming unliveable. In our hearts, we all know that the balance of life on this planet hangs by a thread. What we do now is crucial.
How do we save this planet for future generations?
Governments are too afraid or too corrupt to make the changes they know are necessary to save us. Our economic system continues to cause carbon emissionsto rise rather than fall. Recycling or driving an electric car is great, but in the end it's rearranging the deckchairs on a rapidly sinking ship. But...
"The final chapter is ours to write. We know what we need to do.
What happens next is up to us " (David Attenborough)
That's you, me and everyone, together in our millions, to force the changes we need and change the course of history.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" (Martin Luther King)
Break your silence, Be the change. Add your voice to ours on the streets to demand that our government acts at this time of crisis.
We are in constant rebellion against our Government. We Rebel for Life.
Amazon’s fulfilment centre at Dartford, Kent is being blocked by climate activists who are disrupting the company’s business on its busiest day of the year. The action is intended to draw attention to Amazon’s exploitation of its workers and environmentally destructive and wasteful business practices on Black Friday.
The group is blocking the entrances using bamboo structures, lock-ons, and banners with the words ‘AMAZON CRIME’ and ‘INFINITE GROWTH, FINITE PLANET’ on them. They intend to stay for at least 48 hours.
The blockade is part of an international action by Extinction Rebellion targeting dozens of Amazon fulfilment centres in the UK, US, Germany and the Netherlands aimed at highlighting Amazon’s “crimes”.
Rob Callender, 31 a yoga instructor from Uxbridge said
“We need to make Amazon pay for the damage its doing to the environment, for the harm Jeff Bezos does trying to create and exploit a market for the mega-rich to get high on space tourism; and Amazon should pay for the terrible damage hyper-consumerism is doing to our planet, creating emissions, poisonous waste and burned out workers who are denied the right to unionise in most places. Black Friday is a dark day for the planet. The fact Bezos is so rich is all the proof we should need that he has used Amazon as a vehicle to exploit his way to the top, taking advantage of cheap labour, cheap financing, cheap resources, cheap oil, cheap tax havens and the impulse for convenience. Amazon must pay - the cost is our children's futures.”
Alistair, age 72 who is retired explained
“The scientists have told us in detail the consequences of climate change. Every day I wake knowing that governments and industry have agreed this is an emergency but are failing to act, ignoring the horrific consequences for my beautiful grandchildren and the millions of young people around the world. I cannot collude with this ecocide”
Extinction Rebellion says that Amazon, one of the world’s largest companies, is responsible for a long list of widely recognised “crimes” - from tax avoidance to the exploitation of workers, to rampant wastefulness and ecological destruction - while making its founder and largest shareholder Jeff Bezos one of the richest men on earth. The action aims to expose Amazon’s crimes and the wastefulness of Black Friday while holding it up as an example of a wider economic system designed to keep us hooked on buying things we don’t need, at a price the planet cannot afford. [1]
AMAZON’S CRIMES:
This list is not exhaustive.
Amazon is fast becoming a global monopoly and already controls 15% of global online retail sales and 34% of the world’s cloud-computing capacity. By controlling these essential pieces of infrastructure, Amazon can privilege its own products and services and set the terms by which other companies have access to these markets. This is proving a disaster for small independent businesses and leading to an extraordinary concentration of wealth and power.[10]
These business practices have helped Amazon's founder and largest shareholder Jeff Bezos to become the world's richest man. According to Forbes, Bezos personal wealth amounts to $177bn.[11]
Amy Pritchard, age 36 a Care Worker from London said
"We pause to reflect on the social injustice of tax avoidance, of exploiting workers, the immoral pushing of unnecessary, relentless consumption, which the natural world bears the cost of. We are creating an interruption to call out distracting greenwash and empty green promises in a climate and ecological emergency situation, and to create conversations about what has to change.”
Dr Alexander Penson, 38, Cancer Biologist from Croydon said
“Governments have been completely unwilling or unable to stop Amazon from exploiting workers, dodging taxes and acting like a monopoly. We’re here to fight for people over profit.”
Selma, age 21 a Student from Portsmouth explained
“I am taking action because business as usual is killing us. Every year millions of people are encouraged to go out and buy environmentally damaging items and abide by the system of capitalism. Amazon is one of the many corporations which are accelerating the climate crisis and causing huge amounts of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as providing awful working conditions and contracts for their employees. Our actions and consumption in the global north is impacting the lives of the global majority who are disproportionately already.”
The Extinction Rebellion action coincides with a global day of action against Amazon in over 20 countries by the Make Amazon Pay Coalition which has issued a call to action asking workers and activists to participate in strikes, protests and actions to Make Amazon Pay [12]
Notes for Editors
[1] Black Friday has a carbon emissions problem
[2] Amazon says carbon emissions rose 19% in 2020
[3] Amazon says its carbon footprint grew 19% last year
[4] Amazon's growing ties to oil industry irks some employees
[5] Apple and Disney among companies backing groups against US climate bill
[6]
Amazon Employees Describe Working for Jeff Bezos' Company During Peak
Amazon accused of treating UK warehouse staff like robots
[7] Amazon workers criticize company’s record on climate change
[8] Amazon warehouses trash millions of unsold products, media reports say
[9] Amazon shifts up to £8.2bn of UK revenues to Luxembourg, report finds
Amazon had sales income of €44bn in Europe in 2020 but paid no corporation tax
Do Amazon pay tax in the UK? Boris Johnson meets Bezos
[10] Amazon global e-commerce market share 2019 l Statista
Amazon Doesn’t Just Want to Dominate the Market—It Wants to Become the Market
Amazon’s ‘Total Surveillance’ Supermarkets Have Arrived – and Could Have Dangerous Consequences
[11] Forbes Billionaires 2021: The Richest People in the World
AMAZON.COM, INC. : Shareholders Board Members Managers and Company Profile | US0231351067
[12] Make Amazon Pay
Amazon Will Face Black Friday Strikes and Protests in 20 Countries
”We will fight for that right to free protest. We will fight for democracy in the UK.” – Chris Packham. • Defend Our Juries and the Free Political Prisoners campaign are calling on concerned groups and individuals to join us at the Royal Courts of Justice on January 29th & 30th at the mass-appeal of 16 […]
A government planning inspectorate is sitting near Gatwick for six months, examining business plans to expand capacity at Gatwick airport. These plans will:- Fossil fuel combustion should already be being phased out, instead emissions are soaring. The plans are disastrous and against every expert recommendation to avoid passing climate change tipping points, which will cause […]
The SLP, ExxonMobil's new Southampton to London Heathrow aviation fuel pipeline, is cutting a swathe of destruction across South East England; putting planet and people before profit and enabling our government's ecocidal airport expansion plans.
Mass action across London targeting web of organisations propping up the fossil fuel economy · Thirteen sites hit, including those of BP, JP Morgan, the Institute of Economic Affairs, BAE Systems and the Church Of England · Protestors call for organisations to CUT THE TIES with the fossil fuel […]
Scientists and young climate campaigners are barricading multiple private airports across thirteen countries today (10 November), including Farnborough Airport and London Luton Airport’s Harrods Terminal, to demand a total ban on all private jets and a tax on frequent flyers.
The SLP, ExxonMobil's new Southampton to London Heathrow aviation fuel pipeline, is cutting a swathe of destruction across South East England; putting planet and people before profit and enabling our government's ecocidal airport expansion plans.
Press Release : Extinction Rebellion stops work on aviation fuel pipeline to Heathrow. Extinction Rebellion South East UK Photographs, please click here Livestream from around 10.00am and available afterwardshttps://www.facebook.com/XRSouthEastUK/Updates on twitter https://twitter.com/XrSouthEastUK For Immediate Publication — START — Funeral cortege of eco-protestors invade site to dig grave and mourn the climate destruction that the project […]
This is a real warning from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. What does this mean? Extreme weather events happening more frequently and more severely. crops failing around the world, prices rising in our supermarkets and huge swathes of our planet becoming unliveable. In our hearts, we all know that the balance of […]
XR South East Actions Roundup February 2022
Amazon’s fulfilment centre at Dartford, Kent is being blocked by climate activists who are disrupting the company’s business on its busiest day of the year. The action is intended to draw attention to Amazon’s exploitation of its workers and environmentally destructive and wasteful business practices on Black Friday.
