SPEAKERS' CORNER: SATURDAY 22 JULY
Around 80 people turned up to support our 3rd. Speakers' Corner on Saturday - they were treated to a range of excellent speeches, & the heavy rain that was forecast fortunately didn't come: after a little drizzle at the start, the sun came out!!
For those unable to come, here are some video clips, courtesy of Tina Rothery of the Anti-Fracking Nanas, of some of the day's events (more-or-less in order!!):
2. Early group photo:
3. Clara Paillard (Tipping Point UK/ Unite) - Voices from the Global South
4. Willie Black (Scot E3/Unite):
4. Gail Bradbrook (Co-founder of XR): https://www.facebook.com/tinalouiseuk/videos/1233333554050534
5. Markus Campbell-Savours (Labour Party councillor/Unite):
6. Joseph Healey (Left Unity/Unite):
And here's what George Monbiot (Environmental journalist and activist) thinks about the plans for a new coalmine:
“Fossil fuels are one of the main drivers of climate breakdown - and the most polluting of all fossil fuels is coal. It is a complete betrayal of ‘climate leadership’ for this government to have approved the UK’s first deep-sea coalmine in decades. It will release 9m tonnes of CO2 emissions a year - greater than the combined emissions of Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.
“More than for decades ago, the International Energy Agency declared that if climate goals are to be reached, no new coalmines could be built. More recently, the UN’s Acceleration Agenda calls on governments to commit to no new coal. It’s not complicated: opening a new mine will make the climate crisis worse - and will accelerate the collapse of other Earth systems. What Cumbria - and the world - needs is a rapid just transition to clean green energy jobs.”
