The climate change activist group “Reclaim the Power” will be looking to shut down a dozen “major” fossil fuel sites around the world in May, as part of its “Break Free 2016” campaign, according to recent reports.
Amongst the sites to be targeted is the largest opencast coal-mine in the UK, the Ffos-y-fran mine, near Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales. Other targets of the campaign will include sites in Australia, the US, South Africa, and Indonesia, reportedly. Notably, China and Russia appear to not be included amongst those to be targeted. (I wonder why…)
The above mentioned Welsh coal mine is roughly halfway into the extraction of around 11 million tonnes of coal deposits. A rep from the Reclaim the Power network, Ellie Groves, commented: “The only way we can stop catastrophic climate change is taking action to keep fossil fuels in the ground.”
“The local community have battled Ffos-y-fran for nearly a decade and now face the threat of a new mine next door at Nant Llesg. Enough is enough. We need a ban on opencast coal mining across Wales, and the rest of the UK.”
A recent statement from Reclaim the Power noted: “Hundreds are expected to set up camp nearby and take part in a mass action to close the mine. The action will take place a few days before the Welsh assembly elections on May 5.”
The prominent climate activist campaign group 350.org is working to aid the actions reportedly. The global campaigns director, Will Bates, commented: “We want to ensure there continues to be momentum to keep fossil fuels in the ground and to confront fossil fuel companies.”
He also noted that the protests would be “peaceful”.
The campaign will take place between May 4th and 15th — in the UK, Germany, Turkey, Spain, Nigeria, the Philippines, Australia, Israel + Palestine, Indonesia, the US, Canada, Brazil, and South Africa.
