London Indymedia

Climate change demo - Grosvenor and Trafalgar Square pics

kriptick | 05.11.2006 10:17 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | London

The largest ever climate change protest march in Britain was just one of many that took place simultaneously around our threatened globe.

Outside the US embassy
Outside the US embassy

The amazing Seize the Day
The amazing Seize the Day

Picadilly filled end to end many times over
Picadilly filled end to end many times over

Much noise from Samba bands
Much noise from Samba bands


Kids learning art of graffiti
Kids learning art of graffiti

We've always known the ubiquitous FIT were stupid
We've always known the ubiquitous FIT were stupid

360 deg wide image - scroll sideways to see it all
360 deg wide image - scroll sideways to see it all


2006 will go down as the year when everyone finally sat up and recognised that climate change is real and that it's not a good thing. With climate change being mentioned on mainstream media on a daily basis, high volume coverage of the recent climate camp,
 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

Organisers estimate that 20,000 people joined the CAMPAIGN AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE rally at the American Embassy to join around 10,000 people at the STOP CLIMATE CHOS rally at Trafalgar Square.

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

It was a great day!!!!

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

In general I think climate change people should talk more about industries and how they can change. There was no mention about political parties taking climate change more seriously. Anyone who went to the climate change talk on the 4th of October will know for instance that the lib dems talk of green taxes was a load of hot air (being too little to make any real difference). I am not sure how seriously the other parties are taking climate change but Geroge Monbiot did not think they seemed very interested at the labour or the conservative conference when he went to talk to them.

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 was handed one of these nuclear power station top trump card packs and I was totally blown away at just how many nuclear stations there are all over the world! If these things are so normal and are supplying us with energy on a daily basis why not have more of them?

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

Great pics. Have used on on Respect website. If this is a problem please contact me at  admin@respectcoalition.org

Respect Admin
mail e-mail: admin@respectcoalition.org
- Homepage: http://www.respectcoalition.org


cutting carbon must be law

07.11.2006 22:52

Even though use of nuclear power would mean a drop in CO2 emissions, its probably not a good idea. Personally I would be opposed, mainly due to the fact that we do not at the present moment have any way of dealing with nuclear waste.

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

to the person that is eating all the cake that the nuclear lobby is throwing at us.

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

Okay so let us talk facts.

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

Firstly the issue of nuclear waste was on the BBC last year.

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

I agree!

Cut carbon, go nuclear!

we can't do the former with out the latter.

james


alternative solutions

10.11.2006 11:48

Well if we go nuclear we still have the problem of nuclear waste. Some people would say that if we go nuclear we could take the time and effort to make it safe. If you going to take the time and energy to research something why not spend it researching a safe alternative and making it more energy efficient.

raving_humanist


that speaker who talked about nationalising shell

12.11.2006 14:09

hey i agree the politics were pretty lame at the trafalgar square end, but who was the speaker near the end of the list that spoke about the role of british industries? he mentioned shell in nigeria, and got a surprisingly good response when he suggested nationalising shell.

erin


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