South East climate activists pour and spray fake oil at London offices linked to the fossil fuel economy

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.

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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.”

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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."

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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.”  

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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:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/10/vested-interests-public-against-climate-science-fossil-fuel-lobby

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

Top scientists blockade UK and international private airports to demand end to obscene private jet use

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.

Climate Change brings Conflict

STRICTLY EMBARGOED FOR PRIOR RELEASE

Link to images below, available from 9.30am Monday 18th July 2022 and throughout the day:

https://xrb.link/E6Nu86 

Videos and Livestreams taking place from around 8.30am. Available to view afterwards.

https://www.facebook.com/XRSouthEastUK/​​​​​​

Press contact
[email protected]

Hashtags : #InvestInLifeNotDeath  : #OurChildrensFuture : #ClimateChangeBringsConflict : #WarIsEcocide

Updates on social media

https://twitter.com/XrSouthEastUK  :  https://www.instagram.com/xrsoutheastuk/


Invest in Life not Death. Heart breaking “Pram Rebellion” staged at Farnborough Airshow

Climate Change brings Conflict, a dignified procession takes place as famous Air Show becomes an Arms Fair 

A dignified procession takes place as the famous Farnborough Air Show becomes an Arms Fair.

In solemn procession, and in solidarity with Quakers and Greater Rushmoor Action For Peace, Extinction Rebellion drew attention to the rise in global conflict brought by climate breakdown. 

Dressed in mourning clothes and pushing empty white prams, Pram Rebellion walks slowly to the sound of sorrowful music, mourning our children’s future and in memoriam of children suffering and dying now in countries most affected by conflict and climate change.

The protest takes place at the opening of the Farnborough Airshow, on a day when the temperature record for Hampshire of 36.1°C may be broken and as climate scientists anticipate Britain experiencing its first 40°C temperatures.

Farnborough Airshow is one of the largest aerospace and defence exhibitions, attracting thousands of exhibitors and visitors from all around the world.  This year sees a heavy presence from arms companies including Lockheed Martin, Elbit, Rafael Armed Defence Systems and BAE Systems who are the largest defence contractors in Europe.

Hannah, 32, an actuarial consultant from Farnborough said
“Arms manufacturers are meeting in air conditioned halls to sell their destructive technologies, as ordinary people here in the UK are sweltering in a heatwave which experts tell us is a wake up call on climate change. Conflicts over basic resources like food and water are inevitable.
We must invest in life, not the machinery of death.”

Steve, 51, a company director from Surrey said
"I didn't want to dress in black funeral attire and push a heavy pram to Farnborough Arms and Airshow on the hottest day in UK records, but it's that heat that is the very reason I did. Governments around the world are fully aware that the greatest security rish posed to their countries will come as a result of climate change, and are they're pumping billions of dollars into their armed forces to be ready for the conflicts will arise. I'm not sitting back and watching the lunacy of this military spending and investment in aviation growth instead of tackling the climate disastter. My discomfort in the heat was nothing compared to those who died today, and those who will dies in the days, weeks and years ahead because of our governments' collective inaction."

The world’s armed forces are amongst the largest climate polluters, but avoid scrutiny as countries do not have to include armed forces’ emissions in their climate targets.  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) says the UK military’s total annual carbon footprint is 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide but Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) estimate the true figure to be 11m tonnes.

The MoD admits climate breakdown will increase global conflicts. Climate change is a “threat multiplier” that makes already dangerous social and political situations even worse.  Countries such as China and Russia have been growing their armed forces for sometime.  In the last two years alone, over 200 conflicts over water have been recorded.

The objectives of many arms companies are not socially well aligned.  Prioritising profits means they sell to countries with some of the worst human rights records and even take advantage of their own countries to protect their business.

One Air Show exhibitor typifying this is BAE Systems who have a large presence at the Farnborough Airshow.   Its CO2 emissions account for 30% of the UK’s arms industry.  

Since the beginning of war in Ukraine, BAE Systems share price has increased by about 33% as investors expect bigger profits.  Its employees are fundraising to help Ukranians, some very generously.  In contrast, records of BAE Systems donations are not readily available.  

BAE Systems enjoys windfall profits.  However in the past when equipment it has designed fails to meet the necessary standard, it is the UK government, taxpayers, who pick up the bill.  Despite being the design authority for the Type 45 destroyer, when it became apparent that the ships were unable to operate in high temperatures, the UK government had to pay an additional £160 million to make them useable.


BAE Systems' reputation is starting to affect its social licence to operate, resulting in courts acquitting people planning to sabotage their aircraft.  In 2017 two protesters were arrested after breaking into BAE Systems’ Warton base.  They planned to damage Typhoon jets due to be exported to Saudi Arabia, where they believed they would be used in the war in Yemen.  They were both acquitted.

Even the UK government is trying to reduce its dependency on BAE Systems with the contract for the Type 31 destroyer.  One defence analyst has been quoted as saying - "Were they to have bid as BAE Systems, they wouldn't win. That is absolutely obvious. The fact is that the Type 31 is slanted, probably to exclude any bid that includes BAE.”

Let's not forget where the priorities of all arms manufacturers lie, they profit from the suffering that war brings. Extinction Rebellion demands they invest in life, not death.

Notes for Editors

Greater Rushmore Action for Peace https://www.facebook.com/GRAWantiwar/

Highest maximum recorded temperature for Hampshire: 36.1°C, 1944.

https://www.hampshirelive.news/news/hampshire-news/hampshire-heatwave-could-temperatures-set-7324492

High temperatures a ‘wake-up call on climate change’

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/high-temperatures-a-e2-80-98wake-up-call-for-climate-change-e2-80-99/ar-AAZC9M4

21 of the biggest 40 Western defence companies will be at the Airshow, which is arguably an Arms Fair.

BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, Boeing, Northrop Grumman,

General Dynamics, L3Harris Technologies, Airbus, Leonardo, Thales, Honeywell, Rolls-Royce, Safran Hanwha, Elbit Systems, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Naval Group, Dassault,

Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Jacobs
https://www.farnboroughairshow.com/fia2022/
https://www.farnboroughairshow.com/media/ivhlmrie/fia2022-exhibitor-list-260422.pdf

The Ministry of Defence acknowledges that climate change brings conflict
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-defence-climate-change-and-sustainability-strategic-approach/ministry-of-defence-climate-change-and-sustainability-strategic-approach-accessible-version

In the last two years alone, over 200 conflicts over water have been recorded.

https://www.worldwater.org/conflict/map/


Ukraine war: How weapons makers are profiting from the conflict
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-how-weapons-makers-are-profiting-from-the-conflict-12624574

10 ways that the Climate Crisis and Militarism are intertwined
(CounterPunch Article at www.counterpunch.org/2019/09/27/10-ways-that-the-climate-crisis-and-militarism-are-intertwined/)

World’s armed forces amongst the largest climate polluters, but avoid scrutiny

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/11/worlds-militaries-avoiding-scrutiny-over-emissions

The world’s militaries are avoiding scrutiny over emissions, scientists say.

Countries do not have to include armed forces’ emissions in their targets despite estimates that the sector creates 6% of greenhouse gases.

The Ministry of Defence says the UK military’s total annual carbon footprint is 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), but other sources estimate the true figure to be 11m tonnes.  That is roughly the amount 6m average cars would emit annually.

A 2019 report found that the US Department of Defense is not only the largest consumer of energy in the US but is also the world’s largest institutional consumer of petroleum and, thus, the world’s largest institutional emitter of greenhouse gases. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/10/pentagon-us-military-emissions-climate-crisis


BAE SYSTEMS

BAE Systems CO2 emissions account for 30% of the UK arms industry

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/11/worlds-militaries-avoiding-scrutiny-over-emissions

The UK-based company with the largest carbon emissions is BAE Systems, whose emissions account for about 30% of the UK arms industry’s total output.

BAE System share price is up 33% since the beginning of the war in Ukraine as shareholders expect bigger profits.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/ukraine-war-uk-lords-richer-arms-investments-russia-bae-systems/

Samuel Perlo-Freeman, research coordinator for the Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: “War is good for no one but arms dealers.”

BAE Systems up 33% since the beginning of the war in Crimea.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/BAE-Systems-Employee-Fundraising

BAE Systems takes the profits, but when the UKs Type 45 destroyed were found not to meet the design specification and needed its power plants upgraded;  the UK government had to foot the bill, even though BAE Systems was the design authority for Type 45 destroyers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_45_destroyer#Characteristics

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/cost-type-45-destroyer-fix-revealed/

BAE Systems is the Design Authority for the Type 45, a role traditionally held by the Ministry of Defence.

https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/type-45-destroyer
In March 2018, UK MoD awarded a £160m ($226.5m) contract to BAE Systems for power and propulsion system of Type 45 destroyers as a part of power improvement project (PIP).

BAE have a large presence at Farnborough Air Show

https://www.baesystems.com/en/cybersecurity/event/farnborough-international-airshow

Meet BAE Systems in Hall 5 (FIVE exhibition hall)

The UK courts are concerned about who BAE Systems are prepared to sell arms to.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-yemen-fighter-jets-bae-systems-acquitted-criminal-damage-this-week-a8022861.html

In 2017 two protesters were arrested having gained access to BAE Systems’ Warton base.  They were about to damage Typhoon jets due to be exported to Saudi Arabia, where they believed they would be used in the war in Yemen.

They were acquitted.  One of the protesters said - “Our acquittal was a vindication of the position we took, and a condemnation of the hypocrisy that lies at the heart of UK foreign policy.” 

The UK government is trying to reduce its reliance on BAE Systems

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_31_frigate#National_Shipbuilding_Strategy

Nuclear Weapons and climate change
https://icanw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Nuclear-weapons-and-our-climate-Sept-2019.pdf

The United Nations have ratified a worldwide ban on nuclear weapons, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which came into force on 22nd Jan 2021. The UK has not ratified this treaty as the rest of the world calls for the end of nuclear weapons. Of the 51 countries that have ratified the treaty 48 are in the global south. This includes Thailand, Vietnam, Malawi and Ghana, countries that are most affected by climate & ecological breakdown.
International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons https://www.icanw.org/the_treaty


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 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.

Extinction Rebellion stops work on aviation fuel pipeline to Heathrow

A Child's coffin is buried in the ExxonMobil Southampton to London Pipeline trench representing the fate of children suffering and dying because of the climate and ecological emergency
A funeral is held for our childrens future


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.

Extinction Rebellion blockades UK's largest private airport

Farnborough airport barricaded by activists locked to a stretch limousine, fuel barrels and a giant steel tripod in call for polluter elite to cut their emissions

Extinction Rebellion activists have blocked all major entrances to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire today (2nd October) to protest against the shockingly high levels of CO2 that private flights emit per passenger.

As world leaders gather for the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow this month, protestors are calling on the world's super-rich elite of celebrities, oligarchs and business leaders to ditch private flights. These private flyers, just 1% of the world’s population, cause half of aviation’s global emissions. Extinction Rebellion is also demanding the government stops private flights now.

The 30,000 private flights to and from Farnborough Airport each year carry an average of just 2.3 passengers, with each passenger responsible for the emission of nine times as much carbon as an economy flight to the US and 20 times that to Spain. The airport has permission to increase flight movements to 50,000 a year.

In protest at this wanton level of pollution by the super-rich, Extinction Rebellion has today blockaded three key airport entrances with activists locked on top of a 3 metre high steel tripod at one gateway and to fuel barrels at a second. The third entrance is barricaded by a stretch limousine, with the driver locked on to the steering wheel and a protestor dressed as a media mogul glued to the roof. Other demonstrators from across the South East, including a former airline pilot, are also protesting at the gates of the airport with banners exclaiming Private Flights Cost The Earth; Stop Private Flights Now; Private Jets = Public Deaths.

The airport’s recent move to offer “Sustainable” Aviation Fuels (SAF) to aircraft is condemned as utter greenwash, since the sheer amount of SAF needed to fuel the aviation industry would result in the mass destruction of forests and biodiversity.

Protestor Sarah Hart, 40, a sales manager and resident of Farnborough, said:
“I am taking this action against the airport to highlight the damage private flying is doing to the environment and the lack of accountability by the users who avoid public scrutiny. I am demanding the government act now and ban private flights.”

Activist Marion Malcher, 66, a project manager from Woking, said:
“It's madness that a tiny number of very rich people, just 1%, are creating half of aviation’s carbon emissions, whilst the poorest people suffer and die because of climate breakdown. They're inflicting massive damage to all life on our beautiful planet. Luxury private flights must stop, they are literally costing us the earth.”

Protestor Todd Smith, 32, a former airline pilot from Reading, criticised Farnborough Airport’s move to offer SAF as a so-called alternative fuel.

He said: “The term ‘Sustainable Aviation Fuel’ was coined by the aviation and fossil fuel industry to deceive the public and greenwash the utterly destructive nature of biofuels. 

“Biofuels result in land grabs, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, rising food prices and land-use emissions which can be worse than the fossil fuel they are replacing. The most optimistic forecasts say there are only sufficient global resources to support approximately 5.5% of projected EU jet fuel demand in 2030.“The alternative fuel that SAF producer Neste plans to supply to Farnborough would be used much more efficiently in ships and trucks and given there’s only small quantities available, should be prioritized to decarbonise more essential activities than private jet use.” 
​​​​​​​
Mike Grant, 61, a former serviceman, from Rosewell near Edinburgh said "Private jets are an environmental disaster. Those who use private jets have the wealth and power to know and do so much better. They boast about being leaders of society and drivers of the economy. They are also drivers of the climate crisis. We call upon them to show real leadership, to take responsibility for their actions, to tell the truth about the impact of private jets on the environment and to do the right thing….park them."

One of the key recommendations made to the government by the Climate Assembly UK in its report The Path to Net Zero is to ban polluting private jets and helicopters, moving to electric when possible. They also called for frequent fliers and those that fly further to be made to pay more. The government has shown no sign of acting on either demand.

Research by think tank Transport and Environment, revealed that CO2 emissions from private jets in Europe rose by nearly a third between 2005 and 2019 – outstripping scheduled flights. It found that the biggest source of  pollution was from jets departing from the UK and France – accounting for 36% of all private flight emissions in Europe. 

Climate charity Possible recently described the private jet as representing the most extreme end of the climate injustice that characterises air travel. It is calling for the banning of fossil-fuelled private jets at UK airports within the next five years.

The protest comes days before the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, based at the airport, hosts the "Arms Fair", the DPRTE Defence Procurement and Supply Chain event on 5th October.

Notes for Editors:

Live stream taking place from around 7.00am. Available to view afterwards.

https://youtu.be/2V3s1FtTLZM
https://fb.watch/8nIvk5XFT3/

Images available from 7.30 am
https://show.pics.io/xr-global-media-breaking-news-content-600ed2733c68d80019a19bc7/search?tagId=6154b9e3443af20012467ef3

Social Media hashtags
#PrivateFlightsCostTheEarth
#StopPrivateFlightsNow

Key facts about private flights:

  1. The polluter elite (just 1% of the world’s population) caused half of aviation’s emissions in 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/17/people-cause-global-aviation-emissions-study-covid-19
  2. Private jets - up to 40 times as much CO2 per passenger as commercial flights.
    https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/27/super-rich-fuelling-growing-demand-for-private-jets-report-finds
  3. Just 2.5 passengers per flight
    Farnborough Airport: Planning Application to increase permitted aircraft movement Economic Statement May 2009 para 3.4
  4. Each flight - the same amount of CO2e as nine UK citizens in a year
    Based on 2020 average of 4.5t per UK citizen, 1.3mt of CO2e per annum and 33,000 movements.
  5. Fuel at Farnborough – an annual £47 million tax-free, duty-free gift to the super-rich
    Based on £30m of fuel sales in 2019
  6. Fuel at Farnborough – 14 x BP petrol stations stacked one on top of each other
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/312058/petrol-station-volume-by-brand-in-the-united-kingdom/
  7. The rich have had far too much freedom to design the planet according to their wishes.”https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/nov/17/people-cause-global-aviation-emissions-study-covid-19
  8. Heathrow is just 22 miles away
  9. Bill Gates on his private jet: a “guilty pleasure” https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-spending-biggest-indulgences-2018-2?r=US&IR=T
  10. The UK has seen a doubling of private jet flights since April this year versus last, with the biggest year-on-year bounces at Farnborough, Jersey and Oxford airports, according to aviation business monitoring group WingX. https://wingx-advance.com/domestic-traffic-rebounding-fast-international-connections-lagging/ 
  11. A key recommendation of the Climate Assembly UK is to ban polluting private jets and helicopters, moving to electric when possible. It also called for frequent fliers and those that fly further to be made to pay more.https://www.climateassembly.uk/report/read/final-report.pdf

Farnborough Airport:

Countering Farnborough Airport’s greenwash on SAF 

Farnborough Airport Website:
https://www.farnboroughairport.com/

Wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farnborough_Airport

Rushmore Borough Council:
https://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/farnboroughairport

Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee:
http://www.facc.org.uk/

Farnborough Airport PlanMaster plan (2009)
http://www.facc.org.uk/printed-papers/2012/masterplan.pdf

Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre:
https://www.farnborough.com/

DPRTE
https://www.dprte.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DPRTE21-Event-PlannerV2.pdf

COP26
https://ukcop26.org

"CODE RED for humanity" - The UN Secretary-General António Guterres
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/08/1097362


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 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.