Climate change demo - Grosvenor and Trafalgar Square pics
kriptick | 05.11.2006 10:17 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | London
Outside the US embassy
The amazing Seize the Day
Picadilly filled end to end many times over
Much noise from Samba bands
Kids learning art of graffiti
We've always known the ubiquitous FIT were stupid
360 deg wide image - scroll sideways to see it all
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/ and the recent Stern report
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/sternreview_index.cfm it was to be expected that today's march would be the largest yet and it certainly was. The Campaign against Climate Change protest started outside the US embassy. It was a master stroke to have the brilliant Seize the Day band
http://www.seizetheday.org/ play there with some very upbeat and witty songs as the accomanying speaches about impending climate chaos can be pretty gloomy. The band had the crowd perfoming the Guantanamo shackle shuffle.
Grosvenor Square seemed like a tardis. While we were there packed into the embassy side it was crowded but one would guess just a few thousand people were there. It was only when the protesters marched out towards the existing crowd already in Trafalgar Square that one became more aware of the true numbers present. I stood still in Picadilly which was filled end to end watching 10 or 15 protesters march past every second. I did this for half an hour but still didn't see the back of the protest as I became bored and rejoined the march myself. You do the maths. Trafalgar Square was absolutely packed - see the very wide composite photo to see just how. There was a very extravagant multimedia display being shown on a huge video matrix screen. Icebergs lifting themselves out of the sea and rejoining the galcier's snout. Smoke disappearing back into factory chimneys etc. Inspiring? Well maybe but the mainstream MPs present were still speaking about climate change only "moving up" the political agenda. WTF? it should be top of the agenda and should have been there for years now. Until our glorious leaders stop concentrating on putting their hateful sustained economic growth first then they'll achieve far too little change far too late.
I retrieved my bike and when I returned to the square the crowds of people had already been replaced by choking traffic.
kriptick
Homepage:
http://www.campaigncc.org/
Comments
Hide the following 13 comments
Campaign against Climate Change organise biggest ever UK demo on Climate Change
05.11.2006 16:50
I personally, while fully supporting the initiative of the NGOs and Charities found the STOP CLIMATE CHAOS rally very apolitical, with lots of celebrities but little political edge. Seemed to be more light entertainment than politics.
Eco-Warrior
So inventive
06.11.2006 13:07
My enduring memory will be the humour of the people present. I came away with a naked renewables calendar and a set of nuclear power station Top Trumps!
Awesome inventiveness!
R U D I
Rudi
Green tory, tall story
06.11.2006 20:02
The government in general needs to take green issues more seriously,
other countries have come up with intiatives to make themselves greener (New Zealand: Recycling, Germany:renewables).
and last but not least I stole the above title from a banner I saw in Trafalgar square.
raving_humanist
Nuclear Power?
07.11.2006 11:58
I remember reading a sign that boldly stated "Reduce Carbon Emissions By 90%!"
Maybe nuclear can help us reach that optimistic goal.
mike
Credit
07.11.2006 16:21
Respect Admin
e-mail:
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Homepage:
http://www.respectcoalition.org
cutting carbon must be law
07.11.2006 22:52
Carbon rationing would be a good idea, so would banning all short haul flights.
raving_humanist
nuclear? NO FUCKING THANKS
08.11.2006 05:23
please:
wise up
nuclear is part of the problem
not the solution
this is an anti capitalist site, remember people?
pleeeeese!!
CHECK YOUR FACTS !!
at last years runup to the G8 there where enough informed arguments thrown against nuclear.
why do you think we will see large protests and direct actions next week in germany? around the nuclear trains?
jeeeezz!
mujn
Rudi
08.11.2006 18:09
Hey mujn,
First off, the nuclear cards aren't pro-nuclear 'cake'. I think they were produced by an engineering magazine as a giveaway. It's not anti-wind, anti-biomass or anti-anything-else. It's not even pro-nuclear. It's just a simple TopTrump game featuring a bunch of nuclear power stations.
Besides that, what's your problem with pro-nuclear people having their say?
Do you think only people who agree with you should have the right to participate in a debate?
CHECK YOUR FACTS !!
Indymedia is meant to be INDEPENDENT - hence the 'indy' bit, dur-brain
Indymedia is indepedent of the wind lobby, the oil lobby, the green lobby, and the anti-capitalist lobby.
And who do you think makes wind turbines? Capitalist companies, that's who.
You wise up .You're obviously clueless!
R U D I
Rudi
Dear Raving Mad Humanist
08.11.2006 19:00
The International Energy Agency has just come out and said that world energy demand is estimated to increase by 53% between now and 2030. This is mostly due to emerging countries such as China and India.
And you are suggesting rationing?? Is that correct??? Am I understanding this clearly?? For the world to keep turning we are going to need MORE energy! You’re suggesting we cut back, which to me implies you’re suggestion is unattainable, at least if you want to live in a word that is in motion (i.e. functioning).
And you say that at the present moment we have no way of dealing with the waste. May I ask what you think we have been doing with the waste for the past 50 years??? And I will make this a two part question, the first being if you have any idea what-so-ever on the topic of waste management (nuclear or other) and the second; Is it fundamentally different from any other form of waste control???
The problem with nuclear is that people seem to obtain all the information to form a sound opinion on it from "The Simpsons"! And although it is a highly clever show it holds absolutely no scientific merit.
james
Energy increase etc
09.11.2006 14:04
Secondly I have no idea what form of energy is the best I admit that, most people are uncertain.
Thirdly we have to cut carbon by 40% or the planet will be in huge trouble in the near future, have you not read about a document called the STERN REPORT. The present level of carbon in the atmosphere is around 338 parts per million (ppm) and can not go above 400 ppm or there will be a rise of more than 2 degrees which could mean a catasphoric change in climate. Maybe the scientists are wrong and you are right and in fact continued growth will not hurt us, are you willing to take that chance.
O.K as growth increases we will need more energy but we can and must cut carbon. At least with rationing people will get more of an idea about the impact they are having.
raving_humanist
you can't demand change with out a solution!
09.11.2006 16:13
Cut carbon, go nuclear!
we can't do the former with out the latter.
james
alternative solutions
10.11.2006 11:48
raving_humanist
that speaker who talked about nationalising shell
12.11.2006 14:09
erin