Families join protest over fracking plans
A group of parents and children got together in Monkton Combe to protest in favour of renewable energy last week.
After British Geographical Survey maps show there could be shale gas under North East Somerset, parents in Jacob Rees-mogg’s constituency and across the UK came together to show widespread support for renewable energy and to protest against the Government’s plans to expand North Sea oil, gas production, and fracking.
“We are here because we want wind power to keep everyone warm this winter,” said Farrah, aged four.
According to the group Parents for Future UK, research shows that more than three quarters - 78 percent - of people in the UK support onshore wind energy whereas just 17 percent supported fracking in the most recent government poll.
Onhore wind can produce electricity nine times cheaper than UK gas. Despite this, the government continues to obstruct new onshore wind developments.
To show the widespread support for renewable energy over fossil fuel expansion, Parents for Future UK created pop-up onshore wind farms across the country, demanding the government puts the power in communities’ hands. They have five demands:
Affordable renewable energy: More than triple the amount of renewable energy in the UK by 2030;
Free us from oil and gas: Stop opening up new oil and gas fields and cut our dependence on volatile, dirty fossil fuels;
Tax the oil and gas giants fairly: not just a one-off windfall tax with kickbacks;
Swift help to upgrade homes: Launch an ambitious, appropriately-funded home upgrades and insulation programme;
Every MP with personal or family investments in oil, gas and coal to step down: In the midst of the cost of living and climate crises, the UK Government has clearly shown it is not working in the interests of people or planet. They demand this should change now.
The Monkton Combe protest played out as the North East Somerset MP was standing in the House of Commons justifying the restart of fracking.
“I would also note there have been stories widely reported that some of the opposition to fracking has been funded by Mr Putin’s regime,” said Mr Rees-mogg, at one point during the debate.
In response, protester Charlotte Howell-jones, who wished to deny completely that Parents for Future UK had any income from Vladimir Putin, said: “Just to be clear, this bunch of constituents and worried parents were not!
“Business Secretary Jacob Reesmogg surely doesn’t imagine he can impose fracking on communities, but not lift the de facto ban on onshore wind, which is supported by the majority. We’d like to see him try it in North East Somerset!”
Commenting on the protest, Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “I don’t believe the Government has a serious approach to our energy security that is in the national interest.
“To truly deliver energy security and lower bills, we need to have a green energy sprint. By backing unsafe fracking and raising the 0.5 magnitude limit on tremors, the Government is signing up to an earthquakes charter. We need an energy policy that puts local people first, not big fossil fuel interests.
“They should be prioritising homegrown power and backing a proper national home insulation plan to complement our retrofitting programme here in the West of England”.
Parents made their first protest last Thursday, followed by more protests across the country marking the Global Climate Strikes that this year focus on #Peoplenotprofit. Further “Fridays for Future” marches will be organised locally.