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2011: "The year for justice for Western Sahara”

17-01-2011 11:58

Campaigners attending a meeting this week will be told that 2011 is a crucial year in the future of Western Sahara. The referendum in Southern Sudan this week demonstrates that seemingly insurmountable obstacles can be overcome.

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Climate change and the 500m Buffer Zone Bill

17-01-2011 11:28

This press release accompanies the publication of MOPG's 5th Briefing Note in support of the 500m Buffer Zone Bill and explains why those concerned about Climate Change should support the Bill.

OPG PR 92         17/1/11

 

553 Million Climate Change Reasons for Supporting the 500m Buffer Zone Bill

New research published by the Minorca Opencast Protest Group (MOPG) in support of Andrew Bridgen’s 500m Buffer Zone lends further weight to the potential benefits arising from the Bill if it becomes Law. Their latest Briefing Note on the issue,  “Climate Change and the 500m Buffer Zone” provides an answer to the question of how much Carbon Dioxide will be prevented from escaping into the atmosphere if this  legislation is passed?

The answer put forwards by MOPG is 553,750,000m metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide. This is a figure derived from an analysis based on official figures.

Firstly official figures were used to find out how much CO2 is produced from burning one tonne of coal for power generating purposes - 2.215 metric tonnes.

Secondly official figures from the Coal Authority provided information about the estimated size of coal reserves amenable to opencast mine extraction in England – 516m tonnes.

Thirdly CoalPro, the Coal Operators trade body whose role is to promote the interests of Coal Operators in the UK, provided estimated figures on how much of this coal would be made inaccessible if the 500m Buffer Zone became Law. Their minimum figure was 250m tonnes.

Putting all this information together and doing the maths results in the figure of 553,750,000 metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide being prevented from polluting the air if this coal remains locked in the ground.

Steve Leary, the author of the Briefing Note said

“This latest note adds a further significant argument to those already put forwards by MOPG in support of our MP’s Private Members Bill. What would be put out of reach are at least 250,000m tonnes of coal which, if burnt using current technology, would result in over 550m metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide escaping into the atmosphere. Our research suggests that this a figure equal to seven years of Carbon Dioxide production that our power generators across the whole of the UK pump into the air every year.

Passing this legislation may have an even greater effect, since CoalPro’s estimate is that this proposed legislation would sterilise between 250,000 and 500,000m tonnes of coal reserves, so the benefits in terms of contributing to the prevention of Climate Change could have twice the impact.”

The Briefing Note, the fifth in a series on the 500m Buffer Zone Bill produced by the Minorca Opencast Protest Group, who are fighting a current application for an opencast mine near the village of Measham in Leicestershire and the rest of the series are free to download from the Measham Village web site at:

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/andrew-bridgens-500m-buffer-zone.html#element-527960

Andrew Bridgen’s Bill, the Planning (Opencast Mining Separations Zone) Bill, is due for its second reading on February 11th.  UK Coal’s Minorca Surface Mine Application is now before Leicestershire County Council, but no date has yet been set for a decision on this Application.

END                    END                         END                               END                 

CONTACTING ANDREW BRIDGEN MP for NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIRE

Constituency Office: 6 Elford Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1HH, Tel 01530 417736

Email andrew.bridgen.mp@parliament.uk

Parliamentary Assistant: Andrew Woodman Email:  woody662@hotmail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:

STEVE LEARY, SPOKESPERSON, MOPG

 tel 05601 767981,                                                                            email steve46leary@googlemail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MOPG PLEASE GO TO:

http://www.mopg.co.uk  or

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html

FOLLOW NEWS ABOUT MOPG and UK COAL on TWITTER by logging on to http://twitter.com/seftonchase



Full article

Close to a potential opencast coal site?

17-01-2011 11:28

A by product of the work done to suggest that 553m metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere is the revelation that most of this coal lies so close to where people live. read more here.

How close are you to a potential opencast coal site?

A report published today by the Minorca Opencast Protest Group, which explores the extent to which Carbon Dioxide would be prevent from escaping into the atmosphere if Andrew Bridgen’s 500m Buffer Zone Bill is passed, contains information which may startle many people.

The report, based on published figures includes the following,  that of the estimated 516m tonnes of English coal reserves that could be mined by opencast methods, between 250,000m and 500,000m tonnes may be made inaccessible if this legislation is passed. This amounts to making inaccessible between 48%  and 97% of known surface mine coal reserves. The report goes on to state that

“However, this bald statistic of between 48% and 97% of potentially surface mineable coal being inaccessible if this legislation is passed shows how close most of this coal is to where people live.”

Said Steve Leary, the author of the report

Slowly a picture is emerging of how important this proposed legislation is too many unsuspecting people. We have already published information about the known current and potential opencast mine sites in England in our English Opencast Coal Sites 2009 -2010 documents. Now, as by product of trying to establish how this legislation could affect Climate Change we have come across this significant evidence.

It is startling to think that up to 97% of known reserves of coal in England amenable to opencast mining lies within areas / sites that are as close, or possibly even closer, than 500m from where people live. Without the protection of the proposed Buffer Zone, a benefit which our fellow citizens in Wales and Scotland already enjoy, more and more communities across the Midlands and Northern England may find themselves confronted by an opencast mining application if this legislation fails to become Law.

Thousands of people across England lives could be affected if this fails to become Law. They, like the communities close to the following proposed sites,  Bradley in Co Durham, Minorca in Leicestershire, Lodge House Extension in Derbyshire, Hoodsclose Halton Lea Gate and Ferneybeds in Northumberland and Shortwood Farm in Nottinghamshire, who are currently opposing new opencast applications. They are opposing these applications because they do not want to face the disruption, loss of amenity and risks associated with exposure to noise and especially dust associated with such developments.

Information like this on how close people across England live to these sites shows that this is not just a local problem, it is a national problem which needs a national and not a local solution.”

The Briefing Note ” Climate Change and the 500m Buffer Zone” is the fifth in a series on the 500m Buffer Zone Bill produced by the Minorca Opencast Protest Group, who are fighting a current application for an opencast mine near the village of Measham in Leicestershire. This and the others in the series are free to download from the Measham Village web site at:

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/andrew-bridgens-500m-buffer-zone.html#element-527960

Andrew Bridgen’s Bill, the Planning (Opencast Mining Separations Zone) Bill, is due for its second reading on February 11th.  UK Coal’s Minorca Surface Mine Application is now before Leicestershire County Council, but no date has yet been set for a decision on this Application.

END                    END                         END                                                

CONTACTING ANDREW BRIDGEN MP for NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIRE

Constituency Office: 6 Elford Street, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 1HH, Tel 01530 417736

Email andrew.bridgen.mp@parliament.uk

Parliamentary Assistant: Andrew Woodman Email:  woody662@hotmail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:

STEVE LEARY, SPOKESPERSON, MOPG

 tel 05601 767981,                                                               email steve46leary@googlemail.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MOPG PLEASE GO TO:

http://www.mopg.co.uk  or

http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html

FOLLOW NEWS ABOUT MOPG and UK COAL on TWITTER by logging on to http://twitter.com/seftonchase



Full article

Wood Group PLC to build power plant in Israel

17-01-2011 11:25

Some of you may already be aware of the ongoing situation in Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland recently.

read more

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Support Imprisoned Israeli Anarchist

17-01-2011 11:16

We are calling on all our allies in radical struggles the world over to send letters of support to political prisoner Jonathan Pollak, currently serving a three-month prison sentence in Israel.

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How close are you to a potential opencast site?

17-01-2011 11:09

A by product of the work done to suggest that 553m metric tonnes of Carbon Dioxide from escaping into the atmosphere is the revelation that most of this coal lies so close to where people live. read more here.

Full article

Climate Change and the 500m Buffer Zone Bill

17-01-2011 10:56

This press release accompanies the publication of MOPG's 5th Briefing Note in support of the 500m Buffer Zone Bill and explains why those concerned about Climate Change should support the Bill.

Full article | 11 additions | 2 comments

Jan 15th Reports of Anti-War Actions taken on the Anniversary of this 20 Year On

17-01-2011 10:50

- White House, Whitehall, London, Dublin, Menwith Hill, Wellington, Christchurch, Brisbane
***VID (3 mins 14 secs) 100 folks vigil outside the White House at 7 pm Saturday Jan 15th. (Martin Luther King Day in the United States midnight London, Dublin,), the exact prime time for U.S television that the 20 year ongoing war on Iraq began Jan 15 1991.
 http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/150784/index.php

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TODAY, London: Rally for Reykjavik 9.

17-01-2011 10:05

Embrace the rain and join a solidarity demo TODAY for the nine Icelanders standing on trial in Reykjavik, today until wed, for having taken part in the uprising that followed the island's economic collapse. They each face up to lifetime sentences for having attempted a noise demonstration inside parliament, one month before the then government collapsed.

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Past Is Present: Settler Colonialism In Palestine

17-01-2011 09:57

For over a century, Zionism has subjected Palestine and Palestinians to a structural and violent form of destruction, dispossession, land appropriation, and erasure in the pursuit of a new colonial Israeli society. Too often, this Palestine ‘Question’ has been framed as unique; a national, religious, and/or liberation struggle with little semblance to colonial conflicts elsewhere.

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Wood Group PLC to build power plant in Israel

17-01-2011 09:22

Aberdeen’s favorite son who, not being content with destroying the city goes into business with Israel.
Updates on Donald Trumps vision for a "Real life Trumpton" and how he will force local fire brigade personnel to change their names to "Pugh! Pugh! Barney McGrew! Cuthbert! Dibble! and Grubb!" And other songs of doom from way up North...


Full article | 17 comments

We Will Not Be Disrupted

17-01-2011 02:34

Disruption is one of the purposes of political policing and infiltration by the likes of Mark Kennedy and whoever Lyn and Marcos really are. As a counter to depression and disintegration, let’s look at how the pieces are falling from all this and think how to re-organise.

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Preston Against Cuts: 100 rally on Flagmarket

16-01-2011 23:41

100 people rallied against the Condem coalition cuts on Preston Flagmarket yesterday. 'This could be the start of something big'

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Public Meeting on Zionism

16-01-2011 23:22

Monthly meeting of the Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign
7.30 – 10.00pm upstairs at Hamilton House, Stokes Croft (opp Jamaica Street) Bristol BS2
Public Meeting on Zionism
Speaker: Local B-PSC member Naomi Woodspring
Meeting will include section of the film on Norman Finkelstein (American Radical)
See trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hO_0byNexA


ALSO
a chance to meet and hear Palestinian UN workers from the West Bank who are visiting Bristol as special guests of the Easton Cowboys/girls Community Sports Club
All welcome. FFI www.bristolpsc.info

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Callout for Operation Dual Power/March 26 Direct Action planning

16-01-2011 22:43

Liberate flyer
The TUC are calling a huge "March for the Alternative" for March 26th. But what is their alternative? If you want to be heard rather than hearded that day, then join thousand of people in reclaiming national and local government buildings, media, banks, courts, police stations, and libraries, and turning them into People's Assemblies. An interactive direct action target map will be widely circulated before and on the day. Be part of the planning process. Join us on January 23rd in London.

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The Logic of Imperial Insanity and the Road to World War III plus many mirrors

16-01-2011 22:33

"Obama wasted no time in rapidly accelerating America’s imperial adventures. While dropping the term “War on Terror” from usage, the Pentagon adopted the term, “overseas contingency operations.”[4] This was to be the typical strategy of the Obama administration: change the appearance, not the substance. The name was changed, but the “War on Terror” remained, and not only that, it was rapidly accelerated to a level that would not have been possible if undertaken by the previous administration.

The current expansion of American imperialism globally has been rapidly accelerated since Obama became President, and seems intent on starting and expanding wars all over the world. When Obama became President, America and its Western allies were engaged in a number of wars, occupations and covert destabilizations, from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, to the Congo, and Obama took office in the midst of Israel’s brutal assault against Gaza. From the beginning of his presidency, Obama immediately justified Israel’s vicious attack against innocent Palestinians, rapidly accelerated the war and occupation of Afghanistan, expanded the war into Pakistan, started a new war in Yemen, and supported a military coup in Honduras, which removed a popular democratic government in favour of a brutal dictatorship. Obama’s administration has expanded covert special operations throughout the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa, and is paving the way for a war against Iran.[5] In fact, the Obama administration has expanded Special Operations forces into 75 countries around the world (compared with a height of 60 during the Bush regime). Among the many countries with expanded operations are Yemen, Colombia, the Philippines, Somalia, Pakistan, among many others.[6] Further, in recent months, the Obama administration has been saber rattling with North Korea, potentially starting a war on the Korean Peninsula. With the creation of the Pentagon’s Africa Command (AFRICOM), American foreign policy on the continent has become increasingly militarized."

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NUKE DUMP? The Ethics of Geological Disposal

16-01-2011 22:23

Prof Andy Blowers has been asked to speak to the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership on the ethics of geological disposal. The meeting will take place on wednesday at the Hundith HillHotel, Cockermouth - 9.30am - 4pm

Full article | 3 comments

National march against the monarchy and government 29th April

16-01-2011 22:12

The monarchy has had it day. Enough! Off with their heads!

Full article | 3 comments

The Mark Kennedy story just confirms what we knew all along

16-01-2011 21:09

Nearly two years on from the furore over the G20 protests, what many long suspected has finally been confirmed: the police are infiltrating the climate movement. Most of what I'd want to say about the unfolding saga of undercover cop Mark Kennedy is summed up by this very good piece in the New Internationalist, written by Danny Chivers, one of the defendants at the Ratcliffe trial. But, as someone who spent a lot of time in my old job trying to highlight the police's unacceptable attitude to the environmental movement, here for what it's worth is my two pence...

Full article | 3 comments

Real Life Bugs and Insects

16-01-2011 20:38

You may have seen this magazine advertised on the telly.
With every issue you get to enjoy an insect cruelly frozen in a clear block of plastic.

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