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The Rising Tide UK Climate Action News Sheet with news, future events and ideas for taking action on Climate Change is a short (two pages max) email sent out only when there is something useful to say and never more than once a week. To sign up, click here... RISING TIDE CLIMATE ACTION NEWS SHEET 42b 23 August 2004 Here's the second part of the news sheet double-issue. Remember you can send in any information you'd like to see in this news sheet or on our website to - thanks! CONTENTS
A note for newcomers - These news sheets are short (2 ish pages) and we won't "flood" you (ho ho) - we will issue them only when we have something to say and even then no more than one update per week (and maybe even less often). YOUR DETAILS WILL NEVER BE GIVEN TO ANYONE. 1. ACTION - Save Tara Hill, Ireland The Irish government is letting a motorway be built right through the Tara Skryne Valley, a site of immeasureable importance and significance. Tara is the seat of the high Kings of Ireland. It is an area steeped in history, cultural and mythological, combined with the extra traffic that will be created by the road. Visit the website, sign the petition, and spread the word: www.petitiononline.com/hilltara 2. NEWS - Thai Activist Murdered after Protesting Coal-Fired Power Station For ten years, Thai Activist Charoen Wat-aksorn campaigned to save his community's land from being turned into a giant coal-fired power station. Last month he was murdered by two gunmen on a motorcycle in Prachuap Khiri Khan provincial town after he got off a bus that had taken him from the capital. He had been to Bangkok to testify before a Senate committee over attempts by influential locals to grab public land for the power station. "I am pretty sure that my husband was murdered because he obstructed local influential figures who tried to issue a title deed for public land," said Charoen's wife Kornuma with tears in her eyes. "If local police are in charge of his case, I'm afraid he will not receive justice." Krissadang Nutjaras, a lawyer for the
Bo Nok conservation group, demanded that the government pay more
attention to Charoen's murder and the Full articles: 3. NEWS - London Rising Tide Targets BP-sponsored exhibition of stolen property 1st July 2004, London Rising Tide (LRT) dropped in on 'Mummy - the inside story' at the British Museum, billed as 'a BP Special Exhibition'. "We unfurled a banner reading 'Oil Fuels Climate Chaos' in the main covered area, suggesting to the visiting throngs that BP is profiting from oil wars and climate change while diverting the public gaze away from these dark truths with a widespread programme of cultural sponsorship. (The National Portrait Gallery, Royal Opera House and National Gallery are the most prominent current examples.) Having been escorted away by burly and sometimes bad-tempered security guards, passing leaflets to interested and even supportive visitors on the way, we took up residency outside the gates. We asked people to make their opposition to BP sponsorship known to the Museum, pointing out that US and UK troops were much more concerned about protecting Iraqi oil reserves than the Baghdad museum during the early days of the occupation last year. It has to be said that there's a bit of a hill to climb when it comes to pressuring the Museum, since BP boss Lorde Browne sits on the Board of Trustees. But it's worth it - see contact details below." BP's oil & gas operations throughout the world, eg. in Colombia <colombiasolidarity.org.uk> West Papua <jatam.org> Alaska <alaskaactioncenter.org> Russia, Angola and even here in the UK continue to cause destitution and ecological devastation. In 2003, as BP oilworkers saw their personal safety, union rights and wages in tatters <oilc.org>, BP boss Lord Browne watched his own salary soar to £4.8m London Rising Tide's squatted 'art not oil' gallery at 50 Chalk Farm Road, is still open from 11am to 11pm daily and well worth a visit (see below.) Frances Carey has overall responsibility for the BM programme. Let her know what you think: Tel: 020 7323 8972 or email FCary@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk cc'ing to information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk For more info see: info: www.risingtide.org.uk
& www.londonrisingtide.org.uk 4. NEWS - "Scrap Road Building Or We'll Be Back!" Veteran Road Protestors Threaten Direct Action Against UK 10 Year Transport Plan 21st July, A delegation of veteran road protestors visited the Department for Transport yesterday to deliver a decicive threat to the government that Labour's road building plans will be met every step of the way by direct action to stop the developments. This is in response to the failure to scrap new road plans in today's 10 year Transport Plan. The delegation comprised a representative of each of the major road protests of the 1990's, when direct action laid seige to road building across the UK. "These new roads are a u-turn on promises Labour made when in opposition, when they accepted that more roads simply create more traffic, and are in direct conflict with Labour's supposed commitments to protect the environment and combat climate change," said Rebecca Lush who, exactly 11 years ago, was imprisoned for her part in the protests at the M3 through Twyford Down in Hampshire. The letter to Alistair Darling MP warned: "If you plan new road building, you should expect protests of the same commitment. The difference is that these protests will occur throughout the entire planning process; we will not wait for the bulldozers to arrive this time." Today would have been the perfect opportunity for the government to live up to it's promisses and scrap the road-building programme. Let the Department for Transport know what you think about their failure to do so: 020 7944 8300 The full letter and photos are available
at: www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/07/295124.html 5. NEWS - UK Goverment Responds to 'The Day After Tomorrow' Film "The Government views climate change as the greatest challenges facing us in the 21st century." Interesting, then, that they're still pouring money into new oil development. Anyway, here is the government's response to 'The Day After Tomorrow' Film: www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/dat/ 6. NEWS - 1500 Join Worldwide Naked Bike Rides 12th June was the World Naked Bike Ride, an international day to "protest oil dependency and celebrate the power and individuality of our bodies." Events were held in cities around the world, including London, St-Petersburg and Seattle. For more information, including plans for next years event and how you can get involved, see: www.worldnakedbikeride.org 7. NEWS - Wake Up DFID, Time to Shake Up the World Bank 22nd July (The 60th Anniversary of the World Bank) This morning campaigners held a peaceful 'wake up' demonstration outside the Department for International Development (DFID) in London, to mark the World Bank's 60th birthday, 60 years of failed policies, 60 years of misguided loans, 60 years of increasing debt, and 60 years of dubious development projects. DFID, as the UK representative on the board of the World Bank, has an obligation to change the way the World Bank operates. The demonstration was part of a global day of action of events taking place in Rome, Santa Cruz, Washington and Jakarta. A recent World Bank review of the bank's involvement in oil, mining and gas, the Extractive Industries Review (EIR) recommended the World Bank play a more effective role in alleviating poverty, recognise the immediate threat of climate change and promote sustainable development. Unless the EIR recommendations are acted on, public money will continue to be spent on projects that do nothing to reduce poverty, and actually make poor people worse off, at the same time as ruining our fragile environment. Further information: contact Hannah,
8. FREAK WEATHER - Heavy Rainfall in Nicaragua Causes Flooding and Mudslides A series of tropical waves in June brought heavy rainfall causing floods and mudslides in Nicaragua, and prompting disaster declarations. Seven rivers were affected by flooding, which began on 24 June, and continued into early July. Over 60 mudslides were reported in the region around Musun Mountain and 1400 people from the area were evacuated to the town of Rio Blanco. According to the National Emergency Committee about 18,350 people and 54 communities were affected, 25 deaths were reported, and 88 houses, 29 schools, and 2,075 acres of crops were damaged. 9. COMING EVENT - Campaign against Climate Change AGM Tuesday 29th June, Friends of the Earth, 26-28 Underwood Street, London, 6pm Agenda is likely to include next year's 'Kyoto March', possible events to coincide with European Social Forum, US election (eg 'global funeral' march if the unspeakable is re-elected), benefit party, whats happening with Stopesso, emergency plan in the event of fuel protests / floods / heatwaves and more. To get to FoE from Old Street Tube take City Road until Shepherdess Walk appears on the right, leading soon to Underwood street, again on the right. 10. INFORMATION - Eco-Renovation CD's & Web Links Improving energy efficiency in your home is one of the key ways we can all take positive action in our own lives to combat climate change. The Yellow House guide to eco-renovation multi-media CD is a great resource, and is available from Rising Tide for £13 inc. p&p If you've tried to visit The Yellow House website recently, you may have noticed we're having problems with the domain name. Sorry about that. The site is temporarily available at www.risingtide.org.uk/tyh Here are some more eco-build / renovation links that may be of interest: www.lowimpact.org
- low impact living initiative, courses on making bio diesel, natural
paints, self build solar hot water, straw bale building Please send anything you'd like
put up on our website or included in this news sheet to Matthew
Carroll: To view previous editions of the Rising Tide News Sheet, or if you have problems reading this html format on email, visit the News Sheet Archive at http://www.risingtide.org.uk/pages/news/newssheet/ This News Sheet was brought to you
by Rising Tide, a grassroots network of groups and individuals committed
to taking action and building a movement against climate change. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO A FRIEND AND
INVITE THEM TO JOIN THE LIST END |