Tomorrow I will be with Green Left and the Green Party at the Climate Emergency Rally. Several trade unions are taking part and Caroline Lucas MEP from the Green Party is also speaking. It is vital that as many people as possible support the rally and march and continue to put pressure on the UK government and the world leaders to deliver a meaningful agreement at Copenhagen next week. This really is the last chance saloon and the indications from Copenhagen are not looking good. Maximum public pressure has got to be brought to bear.
The recent events in Cumbria and in Ireland indicate what could lie ahead in terms of climate destruction if we do not act soon. Time is of the essence and the rich world must share with the poor world and stop delaying and trying to obfuscate issues. There is no alternative and the developed world has to make resources available to Africa, Asia and Latin America to deal with climate change and fundamentally, must reduce its own emissions, and stop trying to cover them up with carbon trading.
CLIMATE EMERGENCY RALLY, Saturday 5th December
Challenge the government to take emergency action on climate!
Come to the Climate Emergency Rally at Speakers Corner, Hyde Park at 12.00 noon
(nearest tube Marble Arch)
Speakers will include Michael Meacher MP (Lab), Simon Hughes MP (Lib Dem), John McDonnell MP (Lab), Caroline Lucas MEP (Green), Maria Souverin (Bolivian ambassador), John Stewart (HACAN - campaign against Heathrow 3rd runway), Chris Baugh (PCS - Public and Commercial Services Union) and Ellie Hopkins from the UK Youth Climate Coalition (UKYCC).
The Rally will be a chance for demonstrators to put concrete demands to government for emergency action on climate (see below), many of which formed part of the radical EDM 2057. Speakers will include MPs who have signed this including John McDonnell MP (Lab) and Lynn Jones MP (Lab)
Musical interludes will be provided by Seize the Day.
This day, Saturday 5th December will see the biggest UK demonstration on climate so far with greater commitment than ever before from a wide range of NGOs, brought together by the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition for the main event, called “The Wave” which will leave Grosvenor Square at about 1.00 pm to surround parliament for the ‘wave event' at about 3.00 pm. The Climate Emergency Rally will precede “The Wave” and rally-goers will feed into it as it leaves Grosvenor Square.
We are holding the Rally because we want to make sure there is no chance that the Government will ‘spin’ the climate demo as simply in support of their position at the Copenhagen Talks – whilst we support all the 'Wave' demands for a fair and effective international agreement we also want to demand much more action on climate from the UK government, here at home. We believe that in any case there is no chance of an effective agreement until the North wins the trust of the South and it will only do that if Northern countries like the UK match words with action and take radical emission-reducing measures at home.
And we mean real concrete 'emergency'; measures. We will demand:
Declaration of a Climate Emergency
10% cuts by end 2010
A million green jobs by end 2010
Ban domestic flights
55 mph speed limit – scrap the roads program
End Agrofuel use
Most of these demands (and more) are in Early Day Motion 2057, now (re-tabled as EDM 189). signed by 45 MPs . See more here. There is a growing movement for emergency climate action in the UK. Lets make sure it continues to build! Join us at the Climate Emergency Rally!
For the “Million Green Jobs” demand see the new pamphlet from the Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group. More info here.
Cyclists will want to join the CLIMATE EMERGENCY BIKE RIDE assembling at 10.00 am at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. It will finish at the Climate Emergency Rally, around 12.00 noon. See more here.
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