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**VIDEO FOOTAGE**

• Extinction Rebellion Brighton heads off on their week long journey to London with the Lightship ‘Greta’ to join the September rebellion
• Brighton kicked things off yesterday with an action at Brighton Seafront, in collaboration with Black Lives Matter Brighton, to demand immediate government action to combat the climate crisis and to address racial justice
• The Lightship Greta is named after climate activist, Greta Thunberg, whose bravery and passion has been an inspiration to so many around the world
• The group of parents, key workers, students and many others, will walk the entire way to raise awareness of the plight of climate refugees and the journeys they are taking right now
• The journey is part of Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Countdown to Rebellion’ where people are taking action in their towns and cities before the wider rebellion begins in London, Manchester and Cardiff on 1 September[1] 

This morning, a crew from Extinction Rebellion Brighton have left Brighton with their 20ft bright red Lightship “Greta”, on an epic, week long, voyage destined for London, to join the September actions. They will be walking the entirety of the journey, with a bold and vibrant samba band in tow.

The Lightship Greta is named after climate activist, Greta Thunberg, whose bravery and passion has been an inspiration to so many around the world. Lightship Greta is the combination of a ship and a lighthouse and is handmade and hand-powered, with the words ‘Sound the alarm – Climate Emergency’ on her side. The crew will be covering about 10 miles a day, and stopping off in various locations along the way – including Henfield, Horsham, Crawley, Redhill, Sutton, Vauxhall and Hackney – so that they can engage with local people about the climate and ecological emergency, and raise awareness of the horrifying plight of climate refugees. 

Claudia Fisher (58) of Extinction Rebellion Brighton said: “The United Nations estimated there are already 25 million climate refugees and this number is expected to double over the next five years. We must not standby as those in global South nations suffer from this crisis first and worst.

“The voyage of Lightship Greta aims to highlight the journey that many climate refugees are taking right now and many millions more will be forced to undertake. More of us will be displaced and have to leave our homes for each degree of heating of our earth. As the seawater rises and the fires burn, where would you go? This is a crisis that will impact us all – it is just a matter of time, and time is running out.”

It’s estimated that there will be 200 million climate refugees by 2050 – 10 times the amount of refugees that we have today. To put that in perspective, that means that by 2050, one in every 45 people in the world will be forced to become a climate refugee due to unprecedented levels of environmental degradation and global heating (cited in the IPCC).[2]

Faith Terry-Doyle, 26, of Extinction Rebellion Brighton, said: “Developing countries are the least responsible for emissions of greenhouse gases but they are being most impacted by climate breakdown, and will continue to be most negatively affected by this crisis. As people from high income countries, where the use of greenhouse gas is intensive, we have the responsibility to make a stand and put an end to this unsustainable and deeply unethical way of living. We have the responsibility to do this for our fellow humans on this earth, and for future generations to come. We ALL want to live.”

Brighton kicked things off yesterday with an action at Brighton Seafront, in collaboration with Black Lives Matter Brighton. Climate and social justice demonstrators kayaked to the burnt out West Pier in front of Brighton’s landmark i360 attraction and draped a 12-metre banner over it, reading “CLIMATE EMERGENCY – OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE”. The protesters demanded the immediate government action to combat the climate crisis and to address racial justice.

Lightship Greta’s journey will symbolise that we can make change if we work together. Using nothing but the People Power of parents, key workers, students and many others to get there, Greta will be a voyage to raise awareness of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, and all aspects of the climate crisis. 

Faith Terry-Doyle added “Pulling a huge Lightship from Brighton to London is hard, talking about the climate crisis is hard, dealing with the climate crisis is even harder – but when we pull together we can make great change. Our government isn’t protecting us, and we need People Power to change this. Together we can.”

Notes to Editors

[1] https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2020/08/29/september-rebellion-actions-speakers-schedule/

[2] https://www.ipcc.ch/apps/njlite/srex/njlite_download.php?id=5866

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.