A coalition of local Environmental Groups will assemble at Bournemouth Pier Approach on Saturday 9th December from 11am for activities including placard making. At midday, they will slowly march, with their Rhythms Band, through Bournemouth Gardens and up to the Triangle for a rally. They are demanding action on greenhouse gas reduction now.
‘Prices will keep rising, corporate profits will keep rising, and the world will keep burning—unless we act now,’ stated Daniel Glennon from Extinction Rebellion, Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole (XR BCP). He added that ‘2023 will be the hottest year on record and that this further reinforces what has become obvious over recent years, that climate breakdown is no longer a problem of the future, it’s happening to us now!’
They aim to communicate this new reality, the dangers it poses to us all, and the need for us to act now, to local residents.
This action is timed to coincide with the 28th session of the Conference of Parties – COP28, which is being held in Dubai and is aimed at bringing world leaders together to tackle the climate crisis.
Angela Pooley, Co-ordinator for East Dorset Friends of the Earth, does not hold much hope for a strong outcome from COP28 though. She said that ‘even with all the commitments made by governments from previous COP meetings the world is emitting record levels of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, the main greenhouse gases, into our atmosphere’.
In addition to this, Simon O’Connor, a local environmental campaigner, said ‘the person chosen by the UAE as president of COP28 is the chief executive of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Sultan Al Jaber. This is the first businessperson, never mind senior oil executive, to serve as a COP president, and being from a fossil fuel company, this is an extraordinary and concerning development.’ Simon went on to say that over the last few days, Al Jaber wrongly claimed that there is ‘no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuels is what’s going to achieve 1.5C’.
Mark Chivers from Zero Carbon Dorset highlighted how their Dorset 2030 report features climate justice as a fundamental requirement of addressing the climate crisis. “We have to have a rapid, just and equitable phaseout of all fossil fuels, including exploration, extraction, transportation, production and consumption,” adding that the polluting fossil fuel system should be replaced by “an equitable and democratic renewable energy system that works for people and communities, creates jobs, and builds local energy sovereignty.”.
They invite everybody to join their march and rally, encouraging people to be creative – to dress up, wear costumes, bring banners, placards, and to sing and chant. They want to make as big of an impact peacefully as they can, stating that the bigger the impact, the better! When they reassemble at the Triangle, there will be an open invitation for anyone to make a speech or say a few words.
Groups involved in the march and rally will include East Dorset Friends of the Earth, Bournemouth & Poole Greenpeace, Zero Carbon Dorset, Extinction Rebellion BCP, Transition Bournemouth, Transition Town Poole, Cycling Rebellion, Viva!, and Stop Parley & Canford Incinerators. Other groups are still to be announced.
If you represent a group that would like to be involved you can get in touch on [email protected] Â
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