[Imc-uk-features] Climate Change Feature Proposal

[networking at climatecamp.org.uk]

I would like to suggest the following as a feature for the IMC UK site. I
am sorry it did not get drafted faster. As it is, it would be great if a
decision to put it up (or otherwise) could be made pretty soon, or at
least before I becomes old news.
I tried to draw togather several newswire peices that have been posted
over the last few days (not just from Cliamte Camp related groups) as well
as other actions.
I will keep an eye on the archive of this list to keep track of
comments/amendments/decision made. You may have a better way to put in
links (or put in refferences and them list the links at the bottom)

Thanks
Sophie

(Idea for image:
https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=2903&ppwd=ks8551dt&Action=VF&id=3371520)

Two days of action target climate criminals

Fossil fuel giants branded ‘climate chaos profiteers’ in the wake of
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report. Over the weekend
actions up and down the country and beyond, have targeted dangerous
‘greenwash’ desperately pushed by corporations and politicians.

The IPCC, an expert panel of the worlds scientists, released a report on
Friday warning of world temperature rises of as much as 6.4C (with 4c most
likely) by the end of the century. The reports findings show a 4C rise
would mean a 10% loss in global food production due to draught, increased
flooding, water shortages, and an increased risk of diseases such as
malaria. Most frightening of all, we risk runaway climate change.

While the world wakes up to the magnitude of climate chaos, Shell and
Exxon Mobil last week announced record breaking profits. Shell, for
example, raked in an unprecedented $23 billion, and invested $15 billion
back into unlocking new oil and gas reserves. Exon Mobil’s annual profit
jumped to an unprecedented $36.13bn - 42% up on last year, primarily from
the sale of fossil fuels.

With the figures laid out so clearly the nauseating hypocrisy spouted by
corporations and politicians has spurred action from Paris to Aberdeen.
The Shell Wildlife Photographer of the year competition based at the
Natural History Museum in London was the scene of mayhem on Saturday
morning as 20 activists, inspired by the Camp for Climate Action, threw
paint around the exhibition. The black oily paint across the photographs
served to remind the public and the museum that the event is tainted by
Shells slimy political agenda. A spoof banner was hung from the main hall
above the famous dinosaur skeleton, and leaflets distributed outside, in
order to alert visitors and staff to Shell’s ludicrous involvement with
the exhibition. Although there were scuffles in the exhibition when
security staff grappled with activists, NO-ONE was arrested. Activists
reminded staff that they had no right to restrain or powers of arrest.
As a result all involved were able to leave the building, through the main
entrance, heads held high
. having had an enjoyable and productive day!
A spokesperson for the museum defended their involvement with Shell in a
sickeningly spineless response to the action saying "We fully acknowledge
working with an energy company raises difficult questions about the need
to balance energy use with the conservation of our natural habitat.”
 (For excellent pictures and video go
to:http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/361451.html and
https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=2903&ppwd=ks8551dt&Action=_VC&id=59798)

Simultaneously, Camp for Climate Action activists in Glasgow protested at
a Shell garage, with banners and placards proclaiming “Shell Stop Gas
flaring in Nigeria Now!”. (For press release and pictures of the Aberdeen
action go to: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/361416.html)

At Edinburgh University on Friday the fictional 'Greenwash & Co', parodied
a talk being given by the current UK minister for the environment, David
Miliband. The minister was then pied in the face by a pie-bearer in an
unrelated incident. One activist involved said: “Greenwash has become a
widespread and very harmful issue in the fight for environmental
sustainability. Now any political body or corporation can reel off a few
well-placed buzzwords or implement an insubstantial policy and appear
'green' without really having to make any serious changes. This is lulling
people into a false sense of security. The purpose of protests like this
is to show people what lies beneath the rhetoric and to wake up to the
in-action and spin that surrounds us regarding environmental issues.
Question everything: 'green' is not always what it seems.”
(Go to: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/02/361349.html)

On the same day ‘Plane Stupid” activists spay painted green and red
footprints in travel agents across London, representing the effect flights
have on our carbon footprints. In Manchester too, these footprint stencils
appeared on Friday morning all over the city centre: outside supermarkets,
travel agents, flight centres and the Hummer garage that had been target
of climate activists only a few weeks earlier.(Go to
http://www.planestupid.com). On Saturday, Manchester city centre was host
to street performance and samba music from Rhythms of Resistance in an
climate change awareness raising event.

Green Peace were also quick to respond to the IPCC report, reminding us
all that “it is not too late” from an enormous banner at the top of the
Eiffel Tower. In addition DEFRA found a dirty great pile of coal deposited
outside its London offices on Saturday morning. Green Peace are concerned
that despite the warnings of the IPCC “Blair is ushering in a new
generation of coal fired power stations on the UK, which will still be
pumping out greenhouse gases in 50 years' time.” Government spokes people
are now fluent in green wash spin- while actual policies still pander to
corporate interests. (Go to: http://www.greenpeace.org.uk)

This diverse range of actions indicates that the movement against climate
chaos is gaining momentum. Last month the Camp for Climate Action
announced the dates of the 2007 camp: 14th to 21st August. The Camp hopes
to build on the success of the protests at Drax Power Station last summer.
The 2007 location will be chosen collectively. The next organisational
meeting is in Leeds on the 17th-18th February (go to
www.climatecamp.org.uk for more information).

The urgency and scale of the task facing us all is now wildly accepted.
Mary Stevens was on the action at the Shell sponsored photography
exhibition, “In the 21st Centaury the greatest threat to life on earth is
climate chaos, and yet corporate shareholders are enjoying record profits
on the back of the carbon economy. In the battle against climate change,
Shell, Exon Mobil and the like must be acclaimed as climate chaos
profiteers. It would be a deadly mistake for the whole planet to trust
their empty, well oiled spin.”