NETWORK

Newsletter for Greenpeace activists Winter 2009/2010

©Cobbing/Greenpeace

www.greenpeace.org.uk/active
INTERNATIONAL
Half of the world’s tropical peat swamps are located in Indonesia, and
Kampar is the largest remaining intact area of tropical peat swamp
rainforest.
Forest camp calls for a fair deal
Ian Duff, forests campaign
Greenpeace activists set up the Climate Defenders
Camp on the Kampar peninsula in Sumatra, in
November 2009. In the run up to the climate
summit in Copenhagen the camp has been bringing
urgent attention to the role that rainforest and
peatland destruction play in driving climate change.
Together these processes are responsible for a
quarter of global carbon emissions and help rank
Indonesia as the world’s third largest greenhouse
gas emitter.
In intense and demanding conditions, the
committed and passionate activists have been
working hard, building dams, stopping excavators
and talking with people in the local community.
Indonesian authorities attempted to close down
the camp and clear the region of activists – but
hundreds of people from the local community
supported the camp, demanding the police leave
instead. ‘We want Greenpeace to stay in this camp
as long as possible,’ said Suwandi, a school teacher
from Teluk Meranti. ‘Their presence in Semenanjung
Kampar is really helping us to protect this forest
from destruction.’
Later, journalists from Italy and India were arrested
and deported en route to the camp having stopped
by the side of the road to look at recently cleared
forest. Their interest was deemed illegal by local
authorities who were clearly feeling the pressure
from the work done by the activists and wanted to
divert international attention away from the region.
Greenpeace will continue its work in stopping this
deforestation and is calling on world leaders to make
a climate change deal at Copenhagen that protects
our last remaining forests and peatlands for good.
©Greenpeace
Front cover, above and below: A team of seven activists perched on the Westminster Hall overnight and the other 24 occupied
the roof of the Grand Committee Chamber – they helped each other to reach the roof using ladders.
Change the politics. Save the climate
Paul Morozzo, climate campaign
Without a change in the way we do politics, without a cross party commitment that
puts real domestic action at the centre of policy, it will not be possible for the UK to
take the lead at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December – COP15. So, at
3pm, Sunday 11 October, 54 Greenpeace activists swiftly scaled the walls of
Parliament and occupied the roof of the great Westminster Hall calling for leaders to
‘Change the politics. Save the climate’.
The action lasted 26 cold hours, with 31 volunteers staying on
the roof overnight to welcome MP’s in the morning as they
started back to their last parliamentary session before COP15.
Then, on 9 November Ed Miliband announced his new policy
on coal, ruling out all new coal-fired power stations unless
they demonstrated the technology to capture and store at
©Cobbing/Greenpeace
least one quarter of their carbon emissions. The money for
carbon capture and storage (CCS) will come from central
government funds in the form of a competition grant and a
consumer levy on energy bills.
CCS can be fitted to operate either before or after the coal is burned; this is known as
pre- or post-combustion. The government has said it will fund four coal-fired power
station CCS demonstration projects: two to be fitted with full pre-combustion CCS
from day one and two fitted with a quarter post-combustion CCS from day one.
So what does this mean for the future of coal in the UK? Given the current economics
of coal, no company will build new coal power stations unless they receive this money.
In all likelihood, the post-combustion funding – which still results in some carbon
emissions – will go to Scottish Power’s existing Longannet plant in Scotland and E.ON’s
delayed new plant at Kingsnorth. The government has said that plants fitting one
quarter post-combustion CCS would be obliged to have full CCS operational by 2025.
Only a year ago, there was a very real possibility that up to eight coal-fired power plants
would be built without any CCS, led by E.ON’s plans at Kingsnorth. So this new policy is
a big improvement, but we are working hard to make sure that the next – possibly
Conservative – government improves on the policy, or at the very least sticks to it. And
strong emissions performance legislation must be put in place by whoever is in power to
ensure that power stations will be shut down if CCS does not work in the end.
 SPOTLIGHT

©Stoner/Greenpeace
Thousands of people came to see the Rainbow Warrior while she was docked in the UK. The ship has a rich history of taking direct As part of the boat team Andrew takes part in regular training
action to bring about change – her presence at Copenhagen is symbolic of the action that world leaders need to take at COP15. sessions at sea – hence the splashy picture.
.

Sailing to the summit ‘Action is eloquence,’ said Shakespeare

... and activist Andrew McParland
Hannah Davey, communications team
‘I became a Greenpeace financial supporter about
As Network goes to press, Greenpeace’s flagship is on her way to COP15. Greenpeace 20 years ago, after seeing a video where somebody
campaigners across the world are converging on Copenhagen, and grassroots activists trying to stop nuclear dumping in the North Sea had
are organising an alternative summit in the city. barrels of waste dropped on his boat and was
knocked overboard. If they were willing to risk their
The Rainbow Warrior moored at West India Docks in London and Cruise Liner berth in life, I had to a least think about the issue.
Edinburgh on the way. At November’s open boat days, Greenpeace staff and scores of
‘Several years later I ticked a box asking to be
active supporters talked to visitors about Greenpeace’s work while crew conducted
contacted by a local group and helped with local
tours round the iconic 55 metre working vessel.
events. My job as an engineer was very interesting
intellectually but, looking back, it obviously wasn't
‘We are sailing! Greenpeace active supporter, Sasha enough. I wanted to do something that affected
Gabbe (right) boarded the Rainbow me deeply.
All four sails are Warrior in London to join the crew as
up and I feel at assistant chef. Sasha is an existing ‘Since then, I've helped organise local groups, taken
home here in member of the Greenpeace UK boat quite a few direct actions, become a network
the Warrior.’ team and also helps coordinate coordinator, nonviolent direct action trainer and
Greenpeace events. ‘We are sailing!’ eventually joined the climb team.
©Cordingley/Greenpeace

said Sasha at the start of her tour. ‘All four sails are up and I feel
at home here in the Warrior. Perversely, I’m enjoying the rolling ‘Being involved with a
‘Putting myself
like-minded set of
waves as we start our voyage up the east coast of the UK to in the way of people who want to
Edinburgh... and beyond.’
something actually do something,
and getting out and
The Rainbow Warrior is an international symbol of hope for the planet, and whatever connects my
doing it, has been the
the outcome at Copenhagen, the global Greenpeace community will continue to hold beliefs to my best part for me.
decision makers to their word and push for higher standards in business and politics to actions.’ Training people to take
stop climate change at home and internationally. part in direct actions –
a learning experience in itself – and working with
them on actions is very satisfying. Putting myself in
Bluefin news the way of something, or highlighting an issue,
connects my beliefs to my actions.
David Ritter, biodiversity campaign

‘The challenge for Greenpeace is to find areas where

Greenpeace campaigners attended the World Sushi Awards in London in November to
we can make a difference through action. We need
remind Nobu and other indiscriminate sushi traders that Bluefin is endangered and
to act more.
they should not be serving it. Fishing quotas have been granted (albeit lower) again
for 2010 but fisheries must close if fish stocks are to recover. However, an ‘“Action is eloquence” as Shakespeare said.
international meeting in March could list Bluefin as endangered, which would make it
illegal to buy or sell the fish. For the full story behind the Bluefin’s plight: The End of ‘Get involved!’
the Line DVD is now released and available exclusively from www.endoftheline.com
 TALK TALK
©Couchman/Greenpeace

©Sandison/Greenpeace
Active supporters organised competitons and games for guests at the orchard planting, like this apple peeling contest. Greenpeace activists persuade Brazilian President Lula
to come to Copenhagen.

Roots of resistance STREET CAMPAINING TRAINING, London,

Saturday, 16 January. Contact Richard (below).
Anna Jones, aviation campaign
EAST OF ENGLAND SKILLSHARE, Cambridge,
The roots of resistance against aviation expansion have been growing this autumn. Saturday, 16 January. For all active
Greenpeace, the Woodland Trust and others planted an orchard on the Airplot in the centre supporters in the region. Contact Richard.
of the planned third runway site. Active supporters have planted trees up and down the
country and twinned them with trees in the Airplot orchard, showing the diverse and FUNDRAISING THANKS
widespread opposition to the government’s misguided airport expansion policy. Issy Griffin, community fundraising

Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, actors Alison Steadman and Richard Briers joined a cross- PICTURE PERFECT: 82-year-old artist, Ruth
Ingram, raised £1,200 in October through
section of civil society to oppose expansion plans, by adopting and planting trees on the
sales of her artwork at her open house
Airplot. Several Labour and Conservative MPs – including David Cameron– adopted trees,
exhibition in Camden. Ruth is a longstanding
and the Lib Dems and Green parties have adopted trees too. Trees were adopted by scientists,
supporter and intends to repeat her success
government advisers, local councils, local people, writers, celebrities and campaigning groups next year.
including RSPB, WWF and Garden Organic. The Reverend Tafue of Tuvalu, the Pacific nation
which is already feeling the effects of climate change, has also adopted a tree. SWASHBUCKLING: The Berkshire Network
threw a pirate fancy dress party in Reading.
BAA’s recent writer-in-residence at Heathrow, Alain de Botton said: ‘I'm sponsoring a With music from the finest local bands and
tree in the orchard because I love airports and air travel, and recognise that if our costume prizes they raised £900.
society is to tolerate them, we are all going to have to learn to fly a lot less.’
ACTIVE SUPPORTER NETWORK OVERVIEW
And at the orchard planting, Alison Steadman read a poem by Carol Ann Duffy which Greenpeace’s active supporter network is made up
predicts the demise of the third runway as the Ghost of Christmas Past visits the of network coordinators, local networks and
individual active supporters. Today we have 92
orchards of Sipson: ‘“No Runway Three!” cried Mrs Scrooge.’ network coordinators, 84 networks and 23,374
active supporters.
The orchard links the heritage of Heathrow with its present. In the 1850s Richard Cox
first cultivated apples in the area and is buried in Harmondsworth, one of the villages CONTACT DETAILS
that would be destroyed if a third runway goes ahead. In 2009, MPs, Parliamentary getactive@uk.greenpeace.org
candidates, individuals and groups are continuing Cox’s legacy of apple trees and we Rachael King
hope that these trees will continue to fruit long after the third runway proposals and 020 7865 8174
rachael.king@uk.greenpeace.org
aviation policy have been overturned.
Jo Melzack (Scotland, North England
& Northern Ireland) 0161 448 1929
jo.melzack@uk.greenpeace.org
GET ACTIVE!
Malcolm Carroll (West)
Do something astonishing to stop airport expansion, then tell your MP 020 7865 8172
malcolm.carroll@uk.greenpeace.org
Get together with your friends and fellow hobbyists and put your creative ideas into
practice with help from the Airplot activist’s toolkit at www.airplot.org.uk/toolkit.html Richard Martin (South England)
020 7865 8178
If you haven’t joined the plot already, become a beneficiary owner www.airplot.org.uk
richard.martin@uk.greenpeace.org

Canonbury Villas London N1 2PN t 020 7865 8100 f 020 7865 8200 www.greenpeace.org.uk