Climate change protesters' anger was justifiable, says Nasa scientist

The anger of 114 activists who planned to break into a coal plant near Nottingham was understandable because of the "lies" told by governments about climate change, NASA's top scientist told the trial of 20 climate campaigners.

Professor James Hansen, the NASA scientist credited with doing the most to raise awareness of climate change, had flown from the US to be the star witness.

Twenty activists are accused of conspiracy to trespass on private property. They were arrested last Easter before the group were able to carry out their plan to force E.ON's coal plant (right) at Ratcliffe-on-Soar to shut down for a week.

The activists claim that had they succeeded, 150,000 tons of CO2 would not have been emitted.

Hansen, a vocal critic of coal power, told Nottingham crown court: "The fact that we continue to burn more coal and build more coal plants shows governments are not telling the truth "If they are saying they understand climate problem but will continue to burn coal its easy for me to understand that young people get upset, because they know governments are lying or kidding themselves."

Hansen's evidence was crucial in the case of the "Kingsnorth six" (at left) who broke into the Kent coal-fired power station and scaled a chimney shutting down a coal-fired power station. Their "lawful excuse" defence, that the harm they did was committed to prevent the greater harm of climate change, was successful and they were acquitted in September 2008.

Sarah Shoraka (at right), biodiversity campaigner with Greenpeace, from North London, was the first defendant in the witness box. Felicity Gerry for the prosecution asked her why, rather than spend £15,000 on the planned plant occupation, the group did not enlist a celebrity like Cheryl Cole to front a "green" campaign to encourage people to wear second hand clothes for example.

Telling the court that she had a compost toilet at home, she also said that the "Meat Free Monday" campaign to cut down on meat consumption and related emissions promoted by Coldplay's Chris Martin and Sir Paul McCartney was, "quite an effective campaign because some celebrities are involved."

She suggested the activists should have tried something similar. "Why did you not just do 'turn off Tuesday or switch off Saturday'".

Shoraka, who did not deny her involvement in the protest, said that it was not a publicity stunt. She also expressed her frustration at the time with politicians' failure to ban coal plants.

"I was very pessimistic at the time. I did not see there was any political will to go anywhere near tackling this problem. I felt it was hopeless. These people who were supposed to be there to protect us failed in their duty to do that."

Gerry also asked professor Hansen "it may be suggested… that if we all use biodegradable compost toilets and switch off the lights then that will achieve significant results in reducing the level of CO2. What do you say to that?"

Hansen responded "Unfortunately that will do little good… burning it a little more slowly, being a little more conservative in our use. We are going to have to leave fossil fuels in the ground. The biggest one to leave in the ground is coal."

Hansen told the court the UK was the world's biggest carbon polluter on a per person basis since industrialization so the onus was on the UK to lead the way in phasing out coal plants.Gerry put it to him: "its grandma"s fault." Hansen responded: "Yes but grandma didn't know about it. We do now."

He also explained that he had begun speaking out more in last five years because he now had grandchildren. "I did not want them to say pa you understood what was happening but you never made it clear. You can see the changes now. The things which will happen during the lifetime of our young people if we continue as business as usual will dwarf these [current] inconveniences."

Source:
The Guardian, "Climate change protesters' anger was justifiable, says Nasa scientist", accessed November 30, 2010

Shetland deepwater wells likely to be approved in face of Greenpeace action

The British government is shortly expected to give permission for new deepwater drilling off the Shetland Islands in a controversial move that could trigger a legal confrontation with Greenpeace.

The environmental group fears the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) could make a decision as early as tomorrow for the first wells of this kind off Britain since BP ran into trouble in the Gulf of Mexico.

US company Chevron will be first in line for permission to explore two prospects, with BP following, but Decc officials insisted last night that a decision had yet to be taken.

Greenpeace yesterday started a new campaign of direct action using swimmers against a Chevron-chartered ship, Stena Carron, (below right) in a bid to stop it sailing to the Shetlands where it is expected to drill on the Lagavulin prospect. The Greenpeace protesters took to the waters of the north Atlantic less than 48 hours after a separate occupation of the same vessel was ruled illegal by an Edinburgh court.

The protest comes just after the UK government derailed attempts by other nations in the European Union to introduce international scrutiny of deepwater drilling operations that could have led to a moratorium offshore.

Greenpeace said it planned to extend the wider campaign against David Cameron's administration, including going to court to seek a judicial review.

"We think the government is acting irrationally if it presses ahead with new drilling permits when the lessons from the Gulf of Mexico have not yet been learned," said Ben Ayliffe, a spokesman for Greenpeace. "We will be doing all we can to ensure a change of policy."

Late last week Richard Benyon, a minister at the department for the environment, was dispatched to Oslo to head off a German initiative to subject drilling to far more scrutiny following the BP well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.

Germany wanted firm action taken under the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the north-east Atlantic treaty (known as Ospar) but retreated in the face of opposition from Britain, Norway and the Netherlands – all big North Sea oil producers.

Greenpeace condemned the result of the Ospar summit, saying it sat very badly with the coalition government's supposed commitment to taking environmental issues more seriously.

"When the self-styled 'greenest government ever' sends its ministers overseas to block international scrutiny of its deepwater drilling regime, it's obvious they have something to hide," said Ruth Davis, policy director at Greenpeace.

"With ministers acting as special envoys for the oil industry, it's no wonder people feel they need to take peaceful direct action against new deepwater drilling, to protect their oceans and their climate."

Last Friday the campaign group lost a case brought by Chevron, forcing its activists to abandon a direct action against the Stena Carron drillship that was being prepared for operations off the Shetlands.

A court in Edinburgh ordered Greenpeace to end its protest on the grounds that it endangered the safety of the vessel. Activists spent four days in a "survival pod" hanging off the ship's anchor.

The environmental group's action follows similar protests against Cairn Energy's drilling off the coast of Greenland. Greenpeace says both waters – off the Shetlands (Shetlands in map at upper left hand corner at right) and Greenland – are inappropriate for oil exploration given the unspoiled natural environment and the new information from BP's Deepwater Explorer accident about how devastating a blowout can be to the local shoreline.

BP, Chevron and Total of France are all pushing Decc to give permission for further drilling west of the Shetlands. Decc itself has estimated that 17% of the UK's unexploited oil and gas reserves may lie in this deepwater Atlantic area. BP already has Foinaven, Clair and Schiehallion as producing fields there, and wants to drill the North Uist prospect.

The department is keen to see the area developed but is also wary of allowing BP and others to drill in deep water so soon after the Gulf of Mexico spill. BP has already withdrawn from a planned new licensing round off Greenland rather than risk being banned by the government in Nuuk.

The move to the Shetlands and Greenland are all part of a wider push towards the Arctic as oil companies are forced into increasingly environmentally sensitive areas as reserves in more accessible and less controversial locations.

Last week the Russian government held a major conference on the Arctic which is believed to be the home of one quarter of the world's resources of oil and gas at a time when global warming is breaking up the ice and making it easier to drill.

Russia, America and other countries are all pushing to have their sovereignty accepted by the United Nations amid fears of a a new cold war over this polar region.

Source:
The Guardian, "Shetland deepwater wells likely to be approved in face of Greenpeace action", accessed September 29, 2010

From the Inbox - Sunrise on the Gulf

Dear Friend,

Help us kick-off the Arctic Sunrise’s expedition of the Gulf by telling Congress “No New Drilling!”

White House energy adviser Carol Browner has recently been making the talk show rounds and telling the public about a new government assessment that shows that 75% of the oil from BP’s drilling disaster has either been captured, burned off, evaporated or broken down in the Gulf. As she puts it, “Mother Nature did her part….”

You’re not alone if you think that sounds too good to be true.

That’s why we’ve sailed the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise to the Gulf and are embarking tomorrow on a three-month expedition to provide independent scientific analysis of the impacts of both the oil and chemical dispersants on the Gulf ecosystem. We have to know the truth about the damage that was done.

Relying on BP and federal officials to do that job for us would be foolish at this point. From day one, BP was doing everything in its power to hide the true extent of the disaster and they often had the help of a federal government who seemed more concerned with maintaining its public image than addressing the problem. The Gulf deserves better. We deserve better.

But we don’t have to run a single test to prove that oil drilling is dangerous and deadly. BP has done that work for us. And we don’t need any elaborate solutions to solve the problem either. What we need is to put an end to all new drilling and to transition to clean, renewable sources of energy.

Help us kick-off our tour of the Gulf by taking action and telling Congress “No New Drilling!” today.

Over the course of the next three months we’ll be telling you all about what we find in the Gulf on our website, in our blogs, through videos and photos and more. We’ll also be giving you opportunities to help make the clean energy future we all know is possible a reality by stopping upcoming drilling projects, confronting the fossil fuel industry in your community and joining with people globally for a day of action.

You can start right now by telling Congress “No New Drilling!”

Sincerely,

Dan Howells
Greenpeace Deputy Campaign Director

From the Inbox: Fight for the whales in Morocco

Dear Friend,

Japan, Norway and Iceland have killed thousands of whales and want to kill thousands more - and now our government is supporting them!

STOP THE LIES, STOP THE SLAUGHTER PLEASE DONATE TODAY

Last night I arrived in Morocco where the International Whaling Commission will shortly face a major decision to approve the slaughter of thousands of more whales.

Please support the whales and ensure that the decision is NO by making your most generous gift today.

I’m here to apply unrelenting pressure on our U.S. government delegation - to ensure that they know that Americans do not support a return to the commercial slaughter of these amazing and majestic creatures. We are making it clear that it will be a serious mistake for the President and his administration to continue to ignore public opinion on the fate of the whales.

Just two weeks ago I joined activists outside the White House where we personally delivered over 1,000,000 messages of protest to the President. We cannot compromise with countries who have abused the ban - if they’re cheating the system now, I shudder to think what they’ll do when their killing is legitimized.

Please donate today. If we’re successful in stopping this attempt to undo decades of our work, we will still need to challenge rogue countries like Japan from carrying on their illegal hunts.

For the whales, Phil Kline Whales Campaign Director

DONATE NOW

From the Inbox - The biggest Threat to whales in two decades

DONATE NOW Dear Friend, In 10 days whales could face their biggest threat in over two decades: the return of their slaughter by commercial whaling. On June 21 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will meet in Morocco where they could decide on a proposal that would resume commercial whaling, once again opening the door to the destruction of these amazing creatures. Greenpeace is gearing up for one of the biggest battles the war against whaling has ever seen. Please make your most generous donation today to help Greenpeace in our fight for the whales. This is an "all hands on deck" moment! Picture a Japanese harpoon ship cutting through the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Suddenly, the harpooner spots a mother whale and her calf. The ocean quiet is shattered by the blasts of exploding-tip harpoons hitting the whales. The whale pair struggles to free themselves from the harpoon lines, but a gunman fires down from the deck, finally ending their suffering. It can take as “little” as 20 minutes to a couple of hours of agony for these magnificent creatures to die. If countries like Japan, Norway and Iceland -- now supported by the USA -- get their way at the next IWC meeting, this horrific scene will see itself played out over and over again. For 35 years, Greenpeace has been the whales' greatest defender. We will not allow this newest threat to their existence to come to pass. The international ban on commercial whaling must not be overturned but we cannot ensure this without your support. Thank you in advance for your generosity in this, the whales' most desperate hour. For the whales, John Hocevar Oceans Campaign Director P.S. In 5 days our top activists and campaigners from around the world will be on their way to Morocco to defend the whales - we need your support TODAY to save the whales, end the slaughter and defend our oceans. DONATE NOW

From the Inbox: We can stop them!

OIL AND WATER DON'T MIX The real cost of oil.

Nothing can stop the human and environmental tragedy that we’re witnessing in the Gulf and on the coast of Louisiana.

But we CAN stop the next disaster - we’re taking action right now and we urgently need your help.

Dolphins, turtles, pelicans and the residents of Louisiana are just some of the victims paying a horrible price as millions of gallons of oil pour into the ocean and onto the beaches of the Gulf. We were on-the-ground with our boat days after the spill providing scientists, oil spill experts and the media first-hand access to ensure that the full truth is known about this tragedy.

Please donate today to end offshore drilling and save the Arctic Ocean from a similar fate.

As BP fails to contain the damage they’ve caused in the Gulf, oil giant Shell are seeking a decision from Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to allow them to drill off the Arctic coast this summer. Any disaster in this harsh and remote region would be catastrophic for the region’s polar bear, walrus, and bowhead whale populations.

Yesterday our activists took action using actual oil from the spill to paint “Arctic Next?” on the bridge of a drill supply ship contracted by Shell and due to head to Alaska for their Arctic drilling. Seven activists were arrested and are now being charged with felonies, for standing up to protect our oceans. Meanwhile, BP has to be criminally charged with anything!

Please make a generous donation today so we can hold companies like BP accountable and stop their plans for new offshore drilling.

I look forward to your support as we expose the truth and defend those who don’t have a voice to express their outrage.

Thank you,
Lisa Finaldi
Campaigns Director

P.S. We must ban offshore drilling. Please help Greenpeace today with your most generous contribution so we can continue our work in the Gulf and in Washington, D.C., making sure that the ban on offshore drilling is instated and that we pass legislation to promote clean and sustainable energy solutions.

From the Inbox: The US plans to save whales by killing whales

Dear Friend, Tell Obama to keep his promise to save the whales. Add your name and a personal message to the thousands we’ve already collected and we’ll deliver it to the White House on June 3rd. The headline reads like a bad joke: “U.S. plans to save whales by killing whales.” But it’s no joke. In an altogether shocking move, President Obama’s delegation to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has decided to back a plan that would legalize commercial whaling -- including in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary -- for the first time since the international ban was passed over 20 years ago. We only have until the start of the IWC meetings in June to show the President that this plan is a horrible idea. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Take Action NOW: Tell Obama to keep his promise, save the whales. We’ll be delivering all the names and messages we collect to high-ranking officials in the White House on June 3rd. Back in 1975, Greenpeace launched the world’s first-ever Save the Whales campaign. The images we brought back from our first voyage sparked an international outcry and moved a generation of environmentalists into action. Eventually, after a decade of intense activism, the IWC agreed to ban commercial whaling. That was 1986 and it was one of our greatest moments as an organization -- it was also one of the greatest moments for activists like you. We could lose it all this June unless we’re able to change the President’s mind. We’ve done it before. Now we need to do it again. Sincerely, Phil Kline Oceans & Whales Campaigner