Following the Heathrow camp.
The debate has been stirred up a bit over aviation, emissions and airport expansion, but the government has managed to stay out of it, also the Tories with Redwood's policy commission's transport chapter, released on Friday which strongly argues for a new runway at Heathrow without spelling it out.
The 90's road protests stopped the government eventually because they were yet another thing against "the Tories". John Gummer has said that Greenpeace was an asset to him to help him tell the rest of the cabinet, don't do such-and-such.
This time many people would get the impression this was more an anti-corporate protest and when yesterday's Downing Street protest time was raised in a meeting, a few in the tent said "this shouldn't be the business of the camp, we're against the idea of government".
I'm not criticising others, I'm depressed with myself for not going down during the week and giving a talk, and so on, rather than toiling over placards. Imagine if the chant had been "Runways, Brown's Twyford Down" or something such.
BBC's tv footage shows police encirclement of a group, violence and lots of people will replay the incident of the riot policeman pushing a woman over. I can't recall where I saw that that group had a Tyndall Centre report glued to their hands, but only whilst writing this have I made the connection with the banner with words like "we're armed only with peer-reviewed science".
need for a social revolution
Well Jim, your experience is not that dissimilar to Mayer Hillman's experience. He argued that we don't have time to build a grass roots social movement and the audience didn't agree.
However, that aside, I think Climate Camp was a resounding success even if the message was muffled sometimes.
The future
Hillman, top mind. Only two or three years ago I was balking at his advocacy of carbon rationing and C&C. I got the impression there was a slightly different attitudinal profile this year. Wondering if CCC can be persuaded to formally adopt C&C and never mind the SWoP. Rumour in the London tent that Stop Climate Chaos had gone quiet because of intense policy negotiations over something. Maybe it's just over what to do with the Live Earth golden windfall.
Hitting Paydirt : Live Earth Crock Of Gold
Hi Jim,
Just to say, pleased don't be depressed about Heathrow. It's normal to feel a little downhearted after a heady Climate Camp, what with all those buzzing ideas and belting lentil curries.
It was, I guarantee you, a rip-roaring success. Everybody I meet has asked me about it. It has seared itself into the national consciousness like a white-hot sword.
Plus, what's this rumour about Stop Climate Chaos and some dosh from Live Earth ?
Can they think about giving the Campaign against Climate Change a little dole so we can make the London Climate March a bit bigger and more solid than last year ? After all, we helped them out with numbers and promo for their gig last year (which they held on our date).
I just need to say that I love Lucy (before anyone criticises me about my attitude towards SCC).
Dosh for CCC?
Had my head down for a few months planning a series of Postcards From the Planet. These are packs of 16 designs, all useful for a variety of purposes: influencing your acquaintances, influencing the sorting office (!), stimulating discussion in study groups. The images are strong, the straplines witty/serious. We are kicking off with 'climate'. One of the cards will feature work that CCC climate activists already know well as it has already been published by/for CCC: "Daddy what did you do in the Great Warming?' (Guy Shrubsole). I have tried to contact him for permission but no reply. I am hoping he will agree to an initial fee, then allowing his percentage of royalties to be paid to CCC. Can anyone find him for me?
Flipside Vision