Protesters make pledge to keep up the fight over climate change
A GROUP of activists in Glasgow are promising to continue disruption and protests across the city to fight the dangers of climate change.
Started in November, Extinction Rebellion Glasgow, part of a global movement hoping to lead the way in tackling the onrushing threat of climate catastrophe
Across the world members of the organisation have closed bridges and London and interrupted United Nations (UN) summits to highlight what they call a ‘climate emergency’.
After successful actions across the city, including the interrupting of a meeting of Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard and lobbying the BBC, members are looking to turn up the heat on decision makers across the city.
A spokeswoman for the group, which operates without a hierarchical structure, said: “After the Christmas recess we will stage further disruptive non-violent direct actions targeted at Glasgow City Council and individual councillors in seeking to get the response that the city needs.
“XR actions will be nonviolent, but very visible and effective. They might include temporary road blockades, encirclement of Glasgow City Council buildings, corporations’ headquarters, banner drops, and sit-ins.
“We will be creative and noisy, while being peaceful and inclusive the XR principle on non-violence is essential to our rebellion.”
UN International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations released in November say that the world has just 12 years to reduce global warming, with a target increase of 1.5°C needed to curb the inevitable climate changes which would occur which are set to hit the planet.
This climate uprising comes after a landmark year for Glasgow’s climate.
Summer 2018 was the hottest ever recorded in the UK, while Glasgow also recorded its hottest day since records began, on June 28, reaching 31.9°C.
Climate Ready Clyde, a report which was partly published earlier this year, predicts a ‘climate crises’ in Glasgow if temperatures exceed the UN target, leading to droughts, floods, storms, failing infrastructure and displaced people.
The M74 and M8 motorways, as well as the West Highland Railway Line and the Erskine Bridge, are all mentioned as ‘at risk’.
Activists say that Glasgow’s poorest will be the ones who suffer the most if changes are not made, both across the city and worldwide, to reduce this change to zero.
“The projections show that the poorest neighbourhoods, in North and East Glasgow, will be hit the hardest,” said the spokeswoman.
“The financial costs of building flood defences and new infrastructure in response to climate change may lead to cuts to public services and rises in council tax
On a local level, Extinction Rebellion have called for a major overhaul of policy across the city.
As well as a reduction in car usage and greater funding for a publicly-owned transport network, activists also hope to see pension funds divested from fossil fuel companies, as well as improving community networks which could benefit the environment.
These integrated proposals and view of climate change were presented to city councillors earlier this month, when the group wrote to each representative asking them to declare a climate emergency in the city.
The group’s spokeswoman added: “Our actions will inconvenience people, and we’re sorry this is necessary.
“But we know this is nothing compared to the ‘inconvenience’ of climate breakdown if we don’t act.
“Polite lobbying, marching, voting, consumer- and shareholder-activism, have all failed. We are now on the brink.
“If asking the establishment nicely doesn’t get them to act, then the only option left is peaceful, non-violent civil disobedience, so that decision makers have to take notice.
“We will continue taking direct action until we have woken the people to the crisis that we face.”