Climate activists from across south west England are today supporting Extinction Rebellion outside MI5 headquarters on Millbank to highlight the imminent risk of food shortages in the UK (Tuesday 15th October).
A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion said; “Security services are highly aware of the risk of food shortages, yet refuse to communicate this to the public. The day will begin with an urban harvest where participants will disrupt the capital’s traffic whilst harvesting edible fruit trees across London. These harvests will be shared in a community feast in a highly disruptive location.”
Extinction Rebellion say that communities need to come together to share food and build solidarity. They are asking the government ‘What’s your plan?’ for the climate and ecological emergency.
Tony Whitehead, from Extinction Rebellion in the south west said; “We are in trouble. Drought and heat waves are killing crops. Pesticides are killing wildlife. We are losing our precious soil and millions are undernourished right now. International crop failures will have catastrophic impacts upon our society especially as the UK is particularly vulnerable to crop failures and food shortages with 77% of our fruit and veg being imported.
“There is something very wrong with our global food system, which fails to provide adequate nutrition for millions of people, while driving the planet towards a climate and ecological catastrophe.
“Achieving food justice for all and addressing the climate and ecological emergency are one and the same thing. There is no food on a dead planet. And we must recognise that impacts of food shortages will be unequal, hitting the poor disproportionately. We urge everyone to demand action to protect our food security.
“How bad does it have to get before we take action?”
