Long before US climate activists were getting arrested in front of the White House for a little civil disobedience, UK climate activists were chaining themselves to airplanes and climbing large coal power plants in the UK (or just planning to before getting busted by undercover spies, in some situations). I have thought for awhile now that UK climate activism has been seriously out-doing our US climate activism. But a lot of changes are in the works, and discussions of new directions. Here’s a note from leading UK climate activist group Climate Camp on an important meeting coming up this weekend (following the photo):
New Directions: Part 2
3-4 September, Grow Heathrow
**If you’d like to attend, please email [email protected]**
**We are in urgent need of cooks/kitchen co-ordinators! If you are interested in helping out in the kitchen on either or both days, please email [email protected]**
At the Common Ground meeting in June, and the New Directions meeting in July, a group of people have been continuing the work of re-imagining radical climate action that was started at Space for Change in January. It’s not the only thing we’ve been doing this year, but we’re making some progress!
At the last meeting (New Directions) we agreed to be a group, and we agreed some working drafts outlining our common ground on the issues of:
- Climate
- “Radical lobbying?”& “Demands”
- Anti-capitalism
We also came up with action proposals, some of which are now underway (more details soon).
The next step is to make some decisions about how this group will organise. We agreed that at the next meeting we would:
- Decide on our name!
- Address questions of openness, anti-hierarchy, working practices, national/regional
- Continue with action planning
- Agree on how we communicate things externally
We also hope to properly discuss how we fit in with the wider climate and other movements, how to keep a radical perspective, and more.
New Directions: Part 2 will take place on 3 and 4 September at Grow Heathrow. Crash space will be available fri/sat/sun and food provided on sat and sun. Let us know if you’re coming by emailing [email protected].
As with the previous meetings, this meeting is for people who have previously been involved in organising the Camp for Climate Action, or other radical grassroots climate action, and feel positive about working together. If you didn’t make it to Common Ground or New Directions, you’re still very welcome to attend, though bear in mind it’ll be building on the discussions that have already taken place — ie. we’ll be picking up where we left off! If you missed these two previous meetings but would like to come along, please send an email to [email protected] so we can help you get up to speed.
NB. As before, we feel it’s important to stress this is not a meeting to ‘get involved’. We are keen to bring new people in, but this one’s for those with the above experience who have time and energy to develop new directions on the basis of our common ground.
A group formed at New Directions Part 1 to arrange agenda and facilitation for Part 2. They’ll send an outline agenda ahead of the meeting to those who’ve said they’re coming.
Let us know you’re coming by emailing [email protected].
Thanks!
Photo Credit: Some rights reserved by adrian, acediscovery