Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The Camp for Climate Action: 14th-21st August 2007


It's almost time for The Camp for Climate Action. This year it is at Heathrow, if you live in the UK I hope to see you there!

Update: camp location

  1. The camp dates are drawing nearer and nearer and we're all desperate to know where it will be... but we'll just have to wait a little longer!
  2. But what we do know is that if is that if you get yourself to Staines railway station in West London by 10am on Tuesday 14th August, you will be greeted by our friendly welcome team and promptly transported via a magical mystery tour, to the camp! (There will also be lifts to the camp later in the day and throughout the week.)

Camp for Climate Action comes to Heathrow this summer

  1. Aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, and all our efforts to tackle climate change in other sectors are undone by the massive growth in air travel. Holding the camp at Heathrow aims to highlight the lunacy of the government's airport expansion plans, target industry giants profiteering from the climate crisis, and raise awareness of the need to fly less. The camp will also support local residents in their long-term struggle against the building of a third runway and the destruction of their communities.
  2. There will be a day of mass direct action aiming to disrupt the activities of the airport and the aviation industry, but in the interests of public safety there will be no attempt to blockade runways.
  3. Although the location is different, the philosophy of the camp remains the same: to be a place for the burgeoning network of people taking radical action on climate change around the country to come together for a week of low-impact living, education, debate, networking, strategising, celebration, and direct action. The camp will feature over 100 workshops covering topics such as climate change impacts, carbon offsetting, biofuels, peak oil, permaculture, practical renewables, campaign strategy, skills for direct action, and much more. Run without leaders by everyone who comes along, it will be a working ecological village using renewable energy, composting waste and sourcing food locally.
  4. It all comes down to us, now. We are the last generation that can do anything about climate change. In 20 or 30 years' time, should we not change our ways, we'll be committed to emissions increases that will see forests burn, soils decay, oceans rise, and millions of people die. If we don't get this issue right, so much else is lost too.
  5. We still have time, but not for long. Make it count.



Why target aviation?


  • It is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions. [in the UK]
  • It has been left out of the first faltering frameworks to control emissions, eg. the Kyoto Protocol and the Climate Bill.
  • It is the most damaging form of transport.
  • Unlike the other high emitting sectors (e.g. energy and food production), there is no alternative sustainable technology. The only way to reduce emissions from aviation is to reduce the number of flights.
  • And unlike those other sectors, aviation is not a necessity.
  • There is a major airport expansion programme planned at 21 airports, with increases in capacity equivalent to a new Heathrow every 5 years. This expansion programme locks us into increased emissions, and undoes all our other efforts elsewhere to reduce emissions.

Why target Heathrow?

  • Nowhere in the UK is there a larger source of CO2 emissions. Most countries emit less greenhouse gases than Heathrow's planes.
  • Heathrow is the world's busiest international airport.
  • It is an iconic global symbol of aviation.
  • Heathrow is the heart of the UK's aviation industry.
  • Heathrow is the central plank of the government's airport expansion plans. Heathrow has a planned third runway that can be stopped.
  • The third runway would bulldoze entire villages and destroy communities. There is a big, established, long-term local campaign against Heathrow and BAA that we can join forces with.
  • There is an opportunity to highlight bias in the corrupt planning process in favour of big business and development.
  • The presence of Harmondsworth detention centre nearby highlights the plight of environmental refugees and the fact that climate change is fundamentally an issue of social and global injustice.

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