Extinction Rebellion UK launches AloneTogether – a Regenerative Rebellion as part of the response to coronavirus

This is a world-changing moment. As coronavirus takes hold of our day to day lives, the way we organise and support each other will change. We will lose much we hold dear.

This calls for an evolution – not a shelving – of our rebellion. This is a time to remember what we are rebelling for – a thriving and just world of regenerative cultures that can weather crises, foster cooperation and look after each other on a global scale. 

That is why today, as part of the response to coronavirus, Extinction Rebellion UK is offering AloneTogether, a Regenerative Rebellion built around:

• Personal / community wellbeing and resilience, mutual aid, care and outreach
  • Thousands are mobilising – including many from Extinction Rebellion – to meet the coronavirus crisis in communities with compassion  and creativity. That’s why today Extinction Rebellion is launching a new Handbook online (PDF) with a growing range of regenerative resources for personal and community resilience, plus 1-2-1 support options, wellbeing tips, a programme of online events and ways to share and connect. [1] 
• Tell the truth
  • Our 2020 strategy is about highlighting deep systemic problems in our democracy, media and economy. [2] This is not a time for silence, nor to give business as usual free reign. With sensitivity and determination, we will continue to demand that the truth is told to ensure that business as usual doesn’t use this crisis for its own benefit. 
  • When there are shocks in society, governments – captured by vested interests – have been known to use emergencies to make toxic policy changes and erode democracy. We cannot allow the few to use this as an opportunity to cash in or bury bad news. Too much is at stake. We encourage anyone with information unknown to the public to visit our whistle-blower gateway TruthTeller.Life. 
• Actions and mobilisation
  • In the coming months, the actions we take – and the stories we tell through those actions – will need to respond to the crisis we’re in with empathy, while continuing to find creative and compelling ways to critique our fragile human systems, and vision alternatives. For guidelines for designing actions during the pandemic, including re-thinking NVDA, please read these guidelines.
• Community democracy
  • From the local to the global, Extinction Rebellion will be supporting ways for people to come together and make decisions. This includes training for those working at a local level; while calling for a Global Citizens Assembly to focus on systemic issues.

We are living through an emergency response that shows us things can be done differently. The possibility is opening up to make the necessary and urgent changes to respond to the intersecting global crises – financial, health, climate and ecological – creating a world where life can thrive.

We can be part of this emergency response, holding to our goals, demands and strategy.

We are still connected. We are AloneTogether.

Doctors for Extinction Rebellion said in a statement: “We all have a responsibility to do what we can to reduce the spread of this disease and to support ourselves and our communities through physical isolation and distancing. Whilst quarantine and isolation measures are incredibly important for all of our sakes, we urge people to stay connected through online meetings, chats, games and exercise in nature. 

“Look after yourself, your friends, family, elders and those around you and follow current medical guidelines. We know you care and want to continue mobilising around the climate and ecological emergency; that momentum within the movement has been growing and the desire to look after planetary health in the global community is strongly felt.”

Debbie Winton from Extinction Rebellion UK’s Regenerative Cultures said: “We have seen the immediate response of people to this crisis, assisting one another, engaging in mutual aid and community building initiatives. 

“We would like to support and encourage efforts as we move forward, sharing resources to help people look after themselves and others. Although in isolation, we will face this together.”

Read the full message to movement about #AloneTogether here.

Notes to editors

Email: press@risingup.org.uk

Phone: +447561 098449 / +447901 916489 / +447479234522

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Media Assets #ExtinctionRebellion #ActNow

1. The #AloneTogether Handbook: Regenerative Resources in a Time of Coronavirus. See here for the PDF version and here for online.
2. Short form of Extinction Rebellion UK’s strategy for 2020 is here, long version is here.

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.

What Emergency? | Extinction Rebellion in Numbers |This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook 

Get involved

• In the UK, come to one of our events, join the Rebellion Network and let us know how you can help out.
• Start a group where you are: in the UK or around the world.
• Find your local group.
• Check out the International XR website, with links to the French, German, Italian and UK websites.
• And while your time and energy are of most importance, if you are financially able to donate money, see our crowdfunder.

About Rising Up!

Extinction Rebellion emerged from the Rising Up! network, which promotes a fundamental change of our political and economic system to one which maximises well-being and minimises harm. Change needs to be nurtured in a culture of reverence, gratitude and inclusion while the tools of civil disobedience and direct action are used to express our collective power.