George Monbiot Going to Climate Camp
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 08. 7.07
We were so excited by the thought of the Camp for Climate Action, "Eight days of low-impact living, debates, learning skills, and high-impact direct action tackling the root causes of climate change." Then Heathrow got all huffy at the idea of a bunch of kids throwing frisbees around at the end of the runway and got an injunction to stop them, or at least three of the camp directors. They are going anyways, and say to the Guardian: "The Camp for Climate Action is not covered by the injunction that was granted at the high court today, and will be going ahead as planned. The final injunction provides no additional powers of arrest, and covers a much smaller geographical area, which will not include the camp. Everyone, including the named injunctees, is therefore free to come to the camp."
Even more exciting: George Monbiot is packing his croquet mallet and going too. He says "Oh, we can keep signing our petitions and writing our letters to MPs and making earnest appeals to common sense, but we know that we will be fobbed off until it is too late to prevent runaway climate change. Only those who have not grasped the implications could argue that the need to avoid disrupting a few holiday flights outweighs the need to reverse the growth in aviation.
By joining the climate camp at Heathrow next week, you will be making a stand not only against climate change, but also against the attempt by BAA to stop people from agitating for a better world. What began as an environmental demonstration has now also become a protest for democracy. I will be there. What about you? ::George Monbiot
I will be going, hope to see some of you there!
The Camp for Climate Action is not covered by the injunction that was granted at the High Court today, and will be going ahead as planned
BAA's original wide-ranging injunction could have affected 5 million people. Instead, they have been awarded a much smaller civil injunction against three named individuals. The final injunction provides no additional powers of arrest, and covers a much smaller geographical area, which will not include the camp.
Everyone, including the named injunctees, is therefore free to come to the camp.
Text of the statement by the Camp for Climate Action, read in front of the High Court in London this morning:
The Camp for Climate Action is going ahead.
We accuse BAA of abusing people's right to freedom of expression.
We accuse BAA of pushing for the expansion of airports in the full knowledge that it will lead directly to climate change and indirectly to the deaths of millions.
We accuse BAA of lying to local people, having first promised an end to the expansion of Heathrow in 1978.
We accuse BAA of being climate criminals. A crime for which they cannot be punished under UK law and which the government is actively supporting them in committing.
If you accept the right to life of the millions of people that will die because of climate change, then you can't stand by. Serious and immediate action becomes essential.
Today we are sending out a call to anyone
*that believes that BAA are the real criminals in this case,
*that knows that governments and corporations will not solve the problem of climate change but that it is down to ordinary people to find the solutions,
*that sees that we are living beyond what the earth's resources can sustain and need to create major social change to live sustainably.
BAA's legal action shows the lengths carbon criminals will go to defend their emissions. If you think that the likes of BAA and Gordon Brown give us any hope of a sustainable future then you can stay at home. Everyone else should come to the Camp for Climate Action from the 14th to the 21st August.
From the Camp there will be a day of mass action against corporate climate criminals on Sunday the 19th August.
The responsibility to tackle climate change lies with us all.
We accuse BAA of being climate criminals.
Oh, Lord...
The camp is going really well and there's a lot of people there. I've been for two days and I'm going back for two more. I can't describe it very well other than it's something special.