This summer's Camp for Climate Action takes place next week at Kingsnorth in Kent, where German utility company E.On aims to build the UK's first coal-fired power station for decades. If the government gives the go-ahead, which could happen in October, the CO2 emissions from this one new plant would equal that of the 30 lowest emitting countries in the world combined.
Coal is the most polluting of all fossil-fuels, and if Kingsnorth is built then plans for six similar plants are likely to be approved, emitting a colossal 50 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. So this decision is crucial, which is why activists from all over the country and around the world will be coming to make their voices heard.
One group set off on Sunday from Heathrow Airport, scene of last year's camp, to march across London to Kingsnorth as a reminder that both aviation expansion and power generation are key battles in the fight to limit the damage caused by climate change. If these plans become reality then we'll have no realistic chance of meeting the government's own target to reduce emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. Long-term climate security versus short-term profits for the power and aviation companies should be a no-brainer, and yet at every turn Gordon Brown seems to unerringly choose the wrong option.
The week long camp, which runs from 3-11 August, is one of eight targeting coal around the world this summer. It will bring together hundreds of activists for several days of workshops and discussions about the best ways to oppose new coal plants.
Come for a visit
Pitching up at the camp for Climate Action is an important step towards changing the UK's energy policy. Last year's camp at Heathrow raised the profile of aviation as one of the biggest perpetrators of climate change - this year it will do the same for coal. But it is about much more than just protesting; the camp is a 100 per cent renewably powered experiment in sustainable living, run by its participants using concensus decision making processes. People camp to network, exchange practical solutions, skills and experience. It offers a space to learn more about the root causes of climate change and ways in which they can be tackled both at a public-policy and grass-roots levels.
Sound interesting? Why not come and find out for yourself? Details of how to get there, what to bring and what to expect are all available on the Climate Camp website.
