11am today – LIGHT rail disruption today to highlight Government’s disastrous inaction on climate and ecological emergency
April 17, 2019 by Extinction Rebellion
Email: press@risingup.org.uk
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NEW – What emergency? https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/the-emergency/
11am today – LIGHT rail disruption today to highlight Government’s disastrous inaction on climate and ecological emergency
- Extinction Rebellion to bring a pause to transport today in London
- Aim is to create moments in time when humanity stops and fully considers the extent of the harm we have done and are doing to life on earth
- People are invited to get involved in Extinction Rebellion’s actions to begin the process of facing the crisis and creating a better world. Come down to stay with us to any of our locations – Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and Parliament Square. Bring your tent, family, picnics and ideas
For Extinction Rebellion, today is a day focused on international solidarity with the many grassroots activists around the world, coinciding with the International Day of Peasants Struggle. [1] We intend to focus on the threats to our food supply from the ecological and climate emergency highlighting the links between food, land use and the ecological crisis and showcase solutions.
LIGHT disruption today
Today we will disrupt one overground line as part of our escalating campaign to demand the Government acts now on the climate and ecological emergency:
- The Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
- The Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
- The Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
We expect some LIGHT nonviolent disruption at 11am
This action is called “The Pause” – our aim is to create moments in time when humanity stops and fully considers the extent of the harm we have done and are doing to life on earth. It is vitally important at this time. It is a matter of life and death – whether you live in Tower Hamlets or Taipei, Melbourne or Mumbai – that as many of us as possible stop and deeply reflect on the situation humanity faces right now – and what it means for us all if we continue business as usual in this way.
The deep injustice of the climate and ecological emergency means that those who have done the least to cause it are paying the greatest price. This is an injustice between the industrialised world and the majority who live largely in poverty. There is also an intergenerational injustice – for our today, we are taking away the tomorrow of our children.
We are especially concerned about food shortages – irreversible harm is being caused to the world’s food supply, with the threat of this getting much worse and causing mass starvation, as a result of the toxic combination of climate change, biodiversity loss and the finance system gambling on food prices (the “financialisation of food”). [1]
Today Mark Carney has told global banks they cannot ignore climate change dangers: “As financial policymakers and prudential supervisors we cannot ignore the obvious physical risks before our eyes. Climate change is a global problem, which requires global solutions, in which the whole financial sector has a central role to play.” [2]
Legal and General – the UK’s largest money manager – has today warned the world is facing a “climate catastrophe” unless carbon emissions are cut faster. “The point here is that we are facing a climate catastrophe,” said Sacha Sadan, director of corporate governance at LGIM. “More and more people are realising this, especially as we have seen further evidence that the effects of climate change will soon be irreversible. This will affect economies, politics and, as a result, our clients’ assets all around the world. We all need to move faster.” [3]
International Day of Peasant Struggle event at Parliament Square today
From 11am – 4pm, Extinction Rebellion’s International Solidarity Network will also focus on the many grassroots struggles for climate justice taking place around the world. The Day of International Solidarity – timed to coincide with The International Day of Peasant Struggle – will celebrate connections between campaigners across the globe, and particularly from the Global South.
Speakers include climate change lawyer Farhana Yamin who was arrested yesterday for supergluing herself to the pavement outside Shell, one company fully aware of the fossil fuels crisis and misleading the public. Plus Saleemul Huq (International Centre for Climate Change and Development) and other speakers from Landworkers’ Alliance and La Via Campesina (https://viacampesina.org/en/) – who represent one third of the global population.
Blocking of four London locations continue
Extinction Rebellion is still blocking four locations in London to highlight the climate and ecological emergency and their demands of the Government: Marble Arch – This is an Emergency, Oxford Circus – Tell the Truth, Waterloo Bridge – Act Now, Parliament Square – Beyond Politics
With more than 290 arrests so far police cells in London are full, operating on a one in, one out capacity.
Notes:
[2] https://jembendell.wordpress.com/2019/03/28/notes-on-hunger-and-collapse/
[4]