Rebels call on Argyll and Bute Council to declare a climate emergency
Extinction Rebellion Oban is calling on Argyll and Bute Council to declare a climate emergency, writes Kathie Griffiths.
The call comes from the group's latest meeting and after a number of its members joined a mass protest in London.
XR Oban wants Argyll and Bute Council to follow in the footsteps of other councils, including the Highland Region and the Scottish Government.
A group spokesperson said: 'We plan to make the request by letter initially, followed by protesting if they refuse. We need them to act now.'
Next year a major United Nations climate change summit, COP26, will be happening in Glasgow.
'Our council could show leadership in this area, demonstrating to the people and other areas of government that they are taking the climate emergency seriously in not only declaring an emergency but then acting as if it is real, because it is,' added the XR Oban spokesperson.
Among XR Oban members who travelled to London to protest against the lack of action to tackle the climate crisis, was Annie Loughlin, who has already taken part in XR Climate action in Edinburgh.
She said: 'It was an easy decision to go to the London XR protest as I felt a strong urge that I wanted to take part in something bigger and something that might have an impact on the government, to tell them enough is enough.'
Oban's Yorick Paine also went to London, providing drumming support to protesters, which included them singing improvised nursery rhymes to the 100-plus mothers and babies who staged a breast-feeding sit-in outside Downing Street.
And XR Oban campaigner Ashley Stones spent 10 out of the 14 days of Extinction Rebellion’s autumn protest in the capital, blocking streets and demonstrating as well as being a legal observer for some of the time.
He said: 'Sadly, the ruling elite, whether in politics, business or mainstream media, still ignore us and the state of the planet and would rather talk about Brexit, the royal family’s travels or what’s on TV. I hope that in 10 years they are proved right that those are the vital topics of the day, but sadly I fear they are just fiddling while Rome burns.'