‘We will not be bystanders’: Two years on from Parliament’s declaration of a climate emergency two local people block roads in Bournemouth and Christchurch along with 100s of others around the UK
On Christchurch High Street at 11am today landlord Matthew Sheard, 63 stopped traffic by peacefully sitting in the road wearing a sign that read “I’m terrified government will talk green but won’t act to stop the climate crisis”.
In the second action which took place on Poole Road in Westbourne at about 12:15, Mechanical Engineering student Louis Mckechnie, 20 sat in the road wearing a sign that read “I’m terrified to have children because of the climate crisis”.
Matt and Louis risked their lives in order to speak out about the government’s inaction on the climate crisis. They are angry because two years ago today the UK Parliament declared an environment and climate emergency but the government is still not taking this seriously. It’s time for ordinary people to step up and demand action, they said.
A few motorists were annoyed at being inconvenienced, but many bystanders were supportive of Matt and Louis’ message that the government needs to do more to address the climate emergency. One lady tried to physically move Louis but he remained sitting calmly. Other people in the crowds thanked them for making a stand and burst into spontaneous applause. Eventually police were called and Matt was persuaded to leave the road, while Louis was arrested, but later released without charge.
Matt and Louis were not alone in taking action today. Around the country, hundreds of people blocked roads. Across Dorset
and from Aberdeen to Truro, to make clear that they can no longer trust the UK Government with their future. The “Rebellion of One” action is part of a new tactic by extinction rebellion, which involves individuals taking action alone, yet united. [1]
Louis explained: “If mass peaceful direct action is what it takes for our leaders to pull their heads from the sand, then I refuse to be a bystander to the burning of our planet. To me, Rebellion of One is an act of love for the planet and its inhabitants.”
Matt added:” We are at a tipping point. Governments have delayed action for 40 years, while claiming to be climate leaders. Now we need drastic action to prevent a dangerous increase in global temperatures. The public need to be told that this will mean changes to every aspect of our lives. The alternative is terrifying. Christchurch is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and is already subject to regular flooding. This will become much, much worse.”
The Committee on Climate Change and the National Audit Office, who are tasked with monitoring the government, have said that the government is failing to meet its climate change targets. [2] [3]
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, Sir James Bevan, said earlier this year that the climate emergency is hitting “worst case scenario” levels that if left unchecked will lead to the collapse of ecosystems, with dire consequences for humanity [4]
Among other causes for concern, Matt and Louis highlighted the £27bn roads programme the expansion of Heathrow Airport and the government Covid bail-outs which favoured carbon intensive industries as evidence that the government policy is still not addressing the climate emergency. [5] [6] [7]
[1] Reducing UK emissions: 2020 Progress Report to Parliament: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/reducing-uk-emissions-2020-progress-report-to-parliament/
[2] Radical reassessment needed to hit net zero emissions by 2050, says NAO: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/04/radical-reassessment-needed-hit-net-zero-emissions-2050-uk-nao-report
[3] Climate crisis hits ‘worst case scenario’ levels – Environment Agency head
[4] £27bn road plan: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/11/27bn-roads-plan-doubt-shapps-overrode-official-advice
[5] Heathrow expansion overruled: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/16/top-uk-court-overturns-block-on-heathrows-third-runway
[6] A report by Positive Money found that by June last year 56% of Covid funding distributed by the Bank of England went to carbon intensive industries, including airlines, car manufacturers and oil and gas companies. £27bn road plan: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/11/27bn-roads-plan-doubt-shapps-overrode-official-advice
[7] Rebellion of One: https://extinctionrebellion.uk/act-now/campaigns/rebellion-of-one/
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