XR activists scale Wales Office building in protest
EXTINCTION Rebellion (XR) protesters climbed the UK Government’s Wales Office building in Cardiff to protest the lack of action to combat climate change.
They attached a banner calling for support for the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill on the Pierhead Street building.
The overwhelming consensus of scientists around the world is that if we do not take urgent action to cut reliance on fossil fuels, we are facing a disaster through rising temperatures and sea levels.
Cardiff is particularly at risk, with research suggesting it is ranked sixth – out of 85 world cities – for potentially suffering the greatest impact of global warming.
It is one of only two European cities in the top 10 and much higher than the next UK city, London, which is ranked 22nd.
From noon yesterday, the protesters held a socially-distanced gathering at Bute Park, followed by a march to the Wales Office in Cardiff Bay, via the Senedd building. Activists also targeted the offices of Cardiff’s four MPs to deliver letters calling on them to support the CEE Bill.
One of the co-ordinators, Macey Gray, from Bethesda, said: “The future starts now. As we emerge from lockdown, the UK Government should lead the world with a radical green recovery plan. Their current plans are failing lamentably to do that. They are failing UK citizens.
“The Climate and Ecological Bill, if passed, would give the people of the
UK the power to shape a future that looks beyond short-termist and tribal politics to create a future in which all life can thrive.”
Last summer, Extinction Rebellion shut down Cardiff’s Castle Street by placing a giant boat in the middle of the road and camping out overnight.
Activist Penny Kent came from Stroud to protest. She said: “We want UK MPs to support the CEE bill through Parliament. The IPCC says 2050 is too late so we need to act now – the CEE Bill pushes for the quicker action we need before it’s too late.”
Pete Hughes, from Bristol, said: “We are horrified to learn that Cardiff is the sixth most at-risk city in the world, and the park where we started this morning will be under water by 2050.”
The CEE Bill gives the Prime Minister a duty to ensure that the UK achieves specified objectives on climate change, ecosystems and biodiversity and outlines a framework for how this can be achieved, including establishing a Citizens’ Assembly.
Extinction Rebellion’s plans are for five days of protest in Cardiff.
Today, the group is holding a socially-distanced “beach party” on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, to highlight the catastrophic impact of climate change on weather patterns and rising tides.
From 11am, activists kitted out with deck-chairs, beach umbrellas, swimsuits, life jackets, surf boards and kayaks will be partying with a skeleton of King Canute.
From 3.30pm “King Canute” will be carried in procession to Cardiff’s centre of local government, City Hall, to highlight the need for governments at every level to take urgent action on climate crisis.