We are unable to bring you a new programme this week, but we urge you to take part in this important email action to your MEP.

THE BACKGROUND

On 17th December, the European Parliament is due to vote on two pieces of legislation, the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive,each of which will, in the absence of major amendments which are not now expected, lead to large-scale agrofuel expansion through long-term (2020) targets. Those laws are likely to trigger more land conversion, particularly in the global South, to grow fuel for Europe's cars, at the expense of forests, people, climate, food and biodiversity.
a.. Over 200 organisations are calling for an end to EU subsdies and targets for biofuels. For a full list see: www.econexus.info/biofuels.html
b.. A joint press release issued last week by Oxfam International, Friends of the Earth Europe and two other Europe-wide organisations says the EU vote risks detonating a "climate time bomb". See:
www.foeeurope.org/press/2008/Nov26_EU_risks_climate_time_bomb_on_biofuel...
ml
c.. According to the UN Environment Programme, at current rates of deforestation virtually all lowland tropical forest in Borneo and Sumatra (their two research sites) will have been lost by 2012. Without intact tropical ecosystems, there is little hope of stabilizing climate even with drastic emission cuts.
d.. Existing EU biofuels targets have already pushed up food prices and caused food riots in many countries around the globe. See leaked World Bank report at:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2008/jul/10/exclusivethebiofuelsrepo...
THE ACTION

Please help us by signing the follwing two letters using the weblinks. This is not duplication, each letter targets MEPs in a different way.

1. Biofuelwatch: www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/red_mep_2008_dec.php

2. Rettet den Regenwald:
www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/protestaktion.php?id=338

Many thanks to our friends at Biofuelwatch for initiating this action.

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Climate Radio Archive
Listen to any of our programmes online at a time of your chosing at:www.climateradio.co.uk.

Climate Radio back on The Ecologist website
The most recent programmes in "The 300-350 Show" series are now to be found on The Ecologist magazine's website at: www.theecologist.org

Kyoto2 Supplement
40 minutes extra material from our interview with Kyoto2 architect, Oliver Tickell, is now online at www.climateradio.co.uk

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Follow progress of the UN Climate Talks Friends of the Earth Europe "How to Assess the Poznan Outcome"
www.foei.org/en/media/archive/2008/un-climate-talks-clash-on-climate-goa...
Climate Action Network's daily "Eco" newsletter
www.climatenetwork.org/home-page-content-panel/eco
Daily summary of proceedings in the "Earth Negotiations Bulletin" www.iisd.ca/climate/cop14
UN Climate Talks (UNFCCC) website includes all formal papers plus webcasts of meetings, press conferences and side events http://unfccc.int

Events calendar
UN Climate Talks (Poznan, 1-12 December) http://unfccc.int
National March on Parliament and Global Day of Action (London and worldwide,6 December)
www.campaigncc.org
Climate March after party (London, 6 Dec)
www.thesynergycentre.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&It...
=152

Quick Email Action
www.timetolead.eu

That ongoing offsets issue...
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/03/climate-change-environment-le...
s

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"The 300-350 Show" is named after what is now believed to the safe level in parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This finding is based on the work of James Hansen and his team in a paper titled "Target
Atmospheric CO2: Where Should Humanity Aim" available at
http://arxiv.org/abs/0804.1126.

"Climate Safety" James Hansen's findings and their implications for the UK are explored in an accessible way in a new report which is downloadable from
http://climatesafety.org You can also watch Hansen giving evidence to the House of Commons Environment Audit Committee here:
www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=2908 George Monbiot has some practical suggestions for urgent action:
www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/02/climate-change-lord-turner

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VICTORY ALERT: This is brilliant. Following a concerted campaign of making a nuisance of themselves engaging with e.on over their lamentably bad climate change policies, student activists had loudly sent the message to e.on that they are not welcome at universities as long as the company continues to pursue action, like trying to build a [...]

The Turner Report - a nail in the coffin of coal-fired power?

Lord Turner's Committee on Climate Change, which reported to the government on Monday, has gone a long way towards ruling out new coal plants like Kingsnorth from playing a role in any future UK energy mix.

Although it doesn't explicitly ban them, the report accepts that to reduce the risk of dangerous climate change we must do everything we can to limit global warming to 2 degrees this century. This, in turn, will require CO2 emissions to be cut by 80 per cent by 2050 - a figure that the government has already accepted. Coal is the most polluting of all fossil fuels so, in one of his key recommendations, Turner proposes to close coal plants that don't capture and bury their emissions by the early 2020s at the latest.

Take Action
Write to energy secretary Ed Miliband, and ask him to act immediately on Lord Turner's recommendations.

The fact that Lord Turner accepts the case against coal and has made recommendations which effectively rule out new unabated coal-fired power stations is very significant. As an ex-head of the Confederation of British Industry and the current head of the Financial Services Authority, his opinion carries a lot of weight within the business community.

Nevertheless, at this stage they are just recommendations - the government has still to accept them, and to show how they might realistically be implemented to achieve the 80 per cent cut in CO2 emissions needed to limit runaway climate change.

If Turner's advice is accepted, then any new coal plants would have to be fitted with carbon capture and storage (CCS) capabilities. But there are huge uncertainties around the commercial viability of this technology, so much so that E.ON executives themselves describe CCS for coal as a 'developing technology' with 'technical risk'. E.ON's own estimate is that by the early 2020s their proposed Kingsnorth plant would only capture a small percentage of its emissions – certainly not enough to satisfy Turner.

Adding to investor uncertainty, Turner suggests that next generation power stations should have to meet tough emissions standards. This would effectively ensure that only cleaner technologies are used to power Britain, while ruling out the dirtiest fuels. Unabated coal plants would have no chance of meeting the standard, while even new plants fitted with CCS would be likely struggle if as expected the figure was set at or below 500g per KwH (the standard already adopted in California). Although no specific figure has yet been mentioned, the very idea is likely to have E.ON executives breaking out in a cold sweat, as they know their coal plans don’t even come close to satisfying the new standards the committee is demanding.

So what does all this mean? As Greenpeace UK director John Sauven points out, the committee's report could mark a sea-change in the struggle to get genuine government action on climate change:

"It is incredibly significant that Turner says we can't deliver a low-carbon energy system by relying on the European emissions trading scheme alone. For too long ministers have treated the ETS like a magic box – you put a polluting industry in there and it disappears. Now the climate change committee is saying we need extra regulation to combat unacceptably high emissions from coal".

"Assuming the Government accepts the advice of its own climate change committee, Kingsnorth is dead in the water."

That is still a big if, but thanks to Lord Turner, it's looking a lot more likely now that it was a few months ago.

What you can do

Please write to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, and encourage him to act immediately on Lord Turner's recommendations.

People & Planet students, PANDAs, elephants and climate campers found out last week that student actions at E.On's graduate recruitment fairs had caused E.On to cancel their recruitment tour!

National Climate March Saturday December 6th 2008

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YANC supporters with a No New Coal sign

Today, Friday November 28th, the Cabinet of the UK government are meeting in Leeds to talk with select members of the public from Yorkshire to discuss matters of concern regionally and nationally.

YANC (Yorkshire Against New Coal) campaigner Chris Mackins will be attending the meeting at which he will challenge the Government to put their talk on climate change and energy issues into action.

The Government, recently, made an announcement that it will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 in the newly agreed Climate Change Bill.

Currently, the Government is considering a new generation of coal-fired power stations. If the controversial Kingsnorth power station is granted approval it will pave the way for a succession of further coal-fired power stations across the country including Ferrybridge in Yorkshire.

Guy Mitchell from YANC said; “We’ll never meet our carbon reduction targets by burning more coal.

“In contrast, the Government’s renewable energy strategy consultation identifies the potential for up to 160,000 new Green Collar jobs that will meet the UK 2020 renewable energy targets. Those targets are to produce 15% of the country’s energy requirements from renewable sources [1].

“In a time of economic downturn and significant job losses around the country, kick starting a low carbon economy is good for the environment and for job creation – and Yorkshire is well placed for a new and green industrialisation.

Yorkshire Against New Coal recognises that the government’s scheme to increase coal use and to renew outdated coal-fired power stations is a disaster for climate change, when instead, clean, sustainable and renewable solutions should be supported and developed. YANC is opposed to new coal developments and believes that:

1.   New coal exploitation should not play a role in the UKs energy programme.
2.   Using coal will prevent the UK from meeting it’s CO2 reduction objectives and will also signal to the world that coal is acceptable
3.   That our energy requirements can be met through a range of renewables and decentralisation

[1] Currently less than 6% of the UKs electricity comes from renewable sources.

      

This is an introduction to how our meetings work, and how we reach decisions. Please have a read and ask us questions if something is unclear.

We work through collective decision-making where everyone gets an equal say, in an open and transparent fashion. Meetings are central to this process and we have formed a working group called Facilitation, which will help to make meetings and decision-making effective and inclusive.

We have monthly meetings where all the groups involved in organising the camp come together to share information and make bigger decisions. The various working groups will also meet during these meetings.

The process group will prepare a proposed agenda for each monthly meeting - please email us agenda items at least two weeks in advance. Make sure you attend the meeting if you put an issue on the agenda.

Details of meetings, agendas and minutes will be posted on our website, www.climatecamp.org.uk and sent out on our announcements list (to subscribe to this list email info[at]climatecamp.org.uk)

Facilitators

Facilitators look after the structure of the meeting, making sure everyone has an opportunity to contribute, and decisions are reached. Everyone is invited to help as part of the facilitation team for each meeting - we'll be running workshops where you can learn or refresh your facilitation skills.

Consensus

We are using consensus decision-making, a creative decision-making process that aims to find solutions that are acceptable to everyone. Why do we use it?

Consensus brings together the best from everyone's ideas. This ensures that all opinions, ideas and concerns are taken into account. Decisions are reached in a dialogue between equals, who take each other seriously and who recognise each other's equal rights.

Because, in consensus, we all actively agree to the final decision we're much more committed to turning it into reality.

The Consensus Process

Introduce the issue, provide clarification and define question(s) to be decided.

Gather initial thoughts and reactions. What are the issues and concerns?

Collect ideas and proposals for solving the problem and write them down.

Discuss the ideas- What are the pros and cons? Modify some proposals, eliminate others and develop a shortlist of favorites.

Look for a way to bring together the best qualities of the remaining ideas. Try to create a proposal out of the ideas you have left.

Discuss the pros and cons of the proposal- make sure everybody has a chance to contribute. Are there any friendly amendments to the proposal that make it more acceptable to the group? Test for agreement:

Are there any major objections that you can't overcome?

Acknowledge minor objections.

Check for agreement: Do we have consensus?

Implement the decision.

Objections in Consensus

The major objection (block or veto): Using your veto will stop the proposal going ahead, so think carefully before doing it. But don't be afraid to veto when it's relevant. A veto means: " If this decision went ahead I could not be part of this project."

The minor objection (stand aside): There will be times when you want to object but not to veto. In those situations you can 'stand aside'. Standing aside registers your dissent. It shows that you won't help implement the proposal but that you're willing for the group to go ahead with it.

This process works well in smaller groups of up to 20 people and is what we will be using in our working group meetings.

Consensus in Large Groups

Many of the decisions will be made in very large meetings, where we will often use a spokes council. This is a system that enables hundreds of people to work together as democratically as possible, allowing the maximum of opinions and ideas to be heard in an efficient way. In a spokes council, the meeting breaks up into smaller groups who discuss the issues and come up with proposals and concerns. Each group then sends a delegate
(or spoke) to the spokes council meeting, where all the spokes present the proposals and concerns of their group. The spokes then come up with proposals that they think might be acceptable to everyone and check back with their groups before a decision is taken. A group can also empower their spoke to take decisions within certain parameters. Groups can sit in a cluster behind their spoke during the spokes council so that they can hear what is being discussed and give immediate feedback to their spoke.

You might find yourself in your working groups, in regional groupings or a group based on shared political analysis.
To work effectively in a spokes council you need to respect the role of your spoke. Your group can choose to use the spoke as a voice - feeding back to the group your collective, agreed thoughts. Or you might empower your spoke to make certain decisions based on their knowledge of your small group. Being the spoke is not easy - it carries significant responsibility. You might like to rotate the role from meeting to meeting, or agenda item
to agenda item.

Guidelines for taking part in meetings

Be respectful and trust each other. Don't be afraid to express your ideas and opinions.

Don't assume that someone must win and someone must lose. Look for the most acceptable solution for everyone.

Think before you speak, listen before you object. Listen to others' reactions, and consider them carefully before pressing your point.

Remember that the ideal behind consensus is empowering versus overpowering, agreement versus majorities/minorities.

Hand signals

We are using the following hand signals in meetings - this makes meetings run more smoothly and helps the facilitators spot emerging agreements. Facilitators may introduce other hand signals if necessary.

I want to contribute to the discussion

Raise a hand or forefinger when you wish to contribute to the discussion.

Technical point

Make a T-shape with your hands to indicate a proposal about the process of the discussion, eg "lets have a break".

I agree' or 'Sounds good!'

Silent Hand clapping. Wave your hands with your fingers pointing upwards to indicate your agreement. This gives a very helpful visual overview of what people think. It also saves time as it avoids everyone having to say "I'd just like to add that I agree with.".

To get involved in the Facilitation Group or if you have questions, feedback or suggestions for us, talk to us or email us at [email protected]

Find out more about consensus decision-making and facilitation at

http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/free/resources

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Bristol Rising Tide and activists from in and around Bristol had a day of shenanigans directed at the Royal Bank of Scotland, E-on and new coal.

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We continue our lead-in to this year's UNÂ climate talks in Poznan with a look at a proposal that seeks to break the current deadlock and lead to a fair deal which both delivers climate safety and protects the poor.
Â
We speak to Tom Athanasiou, Director of EcoEquity and co-author of the Greenhouse Development Rights framework.
Â
The GDR framework is supported by Christian Aid, Oxfam, Stockholm Environment Institute and the Heinrich Boll Foundation.
Â
"Greenhouse Development Rights - Powerpoint" (Summary of 2nd Edition)
www.ecoequity.org/GDRs/GDRs_presentation_with_notes.ppt
"Greenhouse Development Rights - Executive Summary" (2nd Edition)
www.ecoequity.org/GDRs/GDRs_ExecSummary.html
Greenhouse Development Rights website
www.greenhousedevelopmentrights.org
EcoEquity
www.eco-equity.org
Â
Listen to the live broadcast/webcast
This programme was broadcast and webcast yesterday (Thursday) by www.resonancefm.com BUT it will be repeated on Tuesday at 1-1:30pm.
Â
ALTERNATIVELY, listen online at a time of your chosing or download the MP3
Go to the Climate Radio archive at www.climateradio.co.uk where this week's programme will be available SOON.
Or go to www.archive.org/details/The300-350ShowGreenhouseDevelopmentRights1 and you will be able to hear this week's programme NOW.
Â
Climate Radio back on The Ecologist website
The most recent programmes in "The 300-350 Show" series are now to be found on The Ecologist magazine's website at: www.theecologist.org
Â
Quick Email Action
www.timetolead.eu
Â
Events calendar
48 Hours of Action Against E.On (UK wide, 28-29 November)
www.e-onf-off.org.uk
UN Climate Talks (Poznan, 1-12 December)
http://unfccc.int
National March on Parliament and Global Day of Action (London and worldwide, 6 December)
www.campaigncc.org
Climate March after party (London, 6 Dec)
www.thesynergycentre.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&It...
Â
James Hansen & Tim Helweg-Larsen's evidence to the House of Commons EAC (temporarily) archived online
www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/VideoPlayer.aspx?meetingId=2908
Â
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Â
The 300-350 Show is named after what is now believed to the safe level in parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This finding is based on the work of James Hansen and his team in a paper titled "Target Atmospheric CO2: Where Should Humanity Aim." http://arxiv.org/abs/0804.1126

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A new report launched by the World Development Movement today (on the eve of 48 hours of action against EON) has calculated that 10 million people could be forced to leave their homes due to the UK's contribution to climate change, and that 30,000 new climate refugees could be created if EON's Kingsnorth coal power station goes ahead.

If the UK builds new coal power stations we will be heading towards a world where 200 million climate refugees will be created by 2050, and it will be the poorest people in the world who are the most likely to lose their homes.

Although these shocking statistics sound a bit doom and gloom - there is hope. There is still time to prevent this climate disaster from happening, and just last month the UK government signed up to emissions cuts in the climate bill. But in order to acheive these targets EON's plans for a new coal power station at Kingsnorth need to be stopped.

To quote Benedict Southworth from WDM:

"Our hope is that this scenario can still be prevented, but our government must wake up and realise that we can't say we promise to reduce carbon emissions with one hand and give carbon intensive projects like the Kingsnorth coal power station the thumbs up with the other."

Find out more, and download the report with all the facts and figures from WDM's website.

Check out this video from Christian Aid, calling for a stop to new coal at Kingsnorth, (and featuring an amazing Jaffa Cake):

You can read more about Christian Aid's campaign against coal, and take action on their website - and we also have a round up of organisations campaigning against EON's coal plans and a page of all the different actions against coal.

Old king coal has reared his head in Scotland this week! (apologies to William Wallace Denslow)

In the same week that the Scottish Government published its consultation on planning guidance for new power plants in Scotland, there was also an announcement about a proposed new coal fired power station at Hunterston (currently home to a nuclear power station). 

So, if Longannet is upgraded by Scottish Power (as we're anticipating that it will be) then there could effectively be two new coal-fired power stations in Scotland in the next few years. And in the meantime, the Scottish Government is about to set a target for Scotland to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.  Of course, this doesn't add up. There is no need to new coal in Scotland.  We have a fantastic renewable resource here in Scotland - for both electricity and heat. Indeed the Scottish Government has set a target of getting 20% of our energy (not just our electricity) from renewables by 2020.  And Scotland is well placed to succeed in that. 

WDM Scotland is calling for the Scottish Government to think again about coal and to put into its planning guidance for new power plants a requirement that they don't emit more than 350g of CO2 per kWh - meaning that any new power stations (or substantial upgrade) would have to be fitted with fully operational carbon capture and storage.  We say - look at energy efficiency and demand reduction (in a concerted way that will really make a difference) as well as renewables - and forget coal - or risk making a mockery of that 80% target.

Find out more about groups in Scotland opposing new coal.

The South Coast Climate Camp neighbourhood consisted of over 100 people at the last camp at Kingsnorth, Kent, in August 2008. We have continued to work since the camp to build a strong network to campaign on climate issues in the region. We are presently campaigning against the government plans for a new generation of coal fired power stations in the UK.

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Well, we never expected this result. Following a vigorous opposition to the application by some of the residents of Pinxton on the grounds of the traffic through the village, a motion was moved seconded and voted on by the councillors on the planning committee that they defer a decision on the application until after consultation with Notts CC about the possibility of the lorries going through Kirkby in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire and back to the M1 that way. It looked like no one knew what to do next and all NANC can say is that the battle is not over yet. So what happens next? Well it appears that ATH can ask that the application be decided on as it is thus forcing Derby to make a decision, or they could go away and look at new routes for the lorries and then resubmit the application to both Notts and Derby and go through the whole process again. But NANC have some advice for them: GIVE UP AND GO AWAY. LEAVE IT IN THE GROUND AND KEEP THE LORRIES OFF THE STREETS OF PINXTON

      

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TAKE BACK THE POWER
48 HOURS OF ACTION AGAINST E.ON AND NEW COAL

Friday 28th and Saturday 29th November 2008

Fifteenth UN Climate Conference Copenhagen

30th of November, 2009

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Something rather interesting has been happening in the last few days - when you google 'EON' this site has been appearing high up in the search results.

EON - which itself stands for Energy On is the name of the German electricity company who are behind plans to build the new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent. Since EON is mentioned quite a lot on the site, these pages have gradually been appearing in the google search results.

What's made a big difference recently is a campaign by a group of committed bloggers who have been writing about this site, and it's relevance to EON in their blogs. You can read more about their online campaign (and the tactics they're using) here.

We will be publishing a lot more information about EON in the comming weeks - particularly about the 48 hours of action against EON

Update: This site now appears 5th in google search - more information about the online campaign can be found here and a list of supporting sites has been published on the Climate Change Action website. Thank you to everyone for your support and buzz about this site - we're now getting a lot of traffic, so the message about EON's involvement in coal power is getting out to a wider audience.

Start: 28/11/2008 - 11:00

As part of 48 hours of action against E.ON – the energy giant who are planning to build the UK’s first new coal-fired power station in 20 years, at Kingsnorth in Kent; WDM are inviting children along to say ‘E.ON, don’t destroy our future’ by making a giant banner of ‘carbon footprints’ to symbolise the future generations around the world whose lives and homes will be devastated by climate destruction. The emissions from Kingsnorth alone could result in 30,000 people becoming climate change refugees.

Joining activists across the country by taking action on this day, WDM will meet in Trafalgar Square at 10am for the children to add their footprints to the banner, then take our footprints to a ‘No new coal’ protest outside E.ON’s London offices in Pall Mall.

Please come along with your children and participate, and let E.ON know we won’t stand for any new climate-wrecking coal power stations, at Kingsnorth or anywhere else.

SUMMARY OF DECISIONS MADE AT THE GATHERING

!!NAME OF THE 'BLOCKADE'!!
Full minutes
The blockade was named :

*****The E.ON FACE OFF******

With the strapline: Take the power back!

Decisions about the Face Off:

OBJECTIVES:

1) Stop approval of Kingsnorth

2) Cause maximum disruption to all aspects of the construction of Kingsnorth power station

3) To do so in a way that maximises the number of people taking part in direct action and also creates opportunities to challenge the economic and political systems that are driving climate change

4) To actively support workers and communities affected by the Kingsnorth decision now and in the long term

AND:

5) Climate camp commits to organise the obstruction of all processes which contribute to the building of a new Kingsnorth power station through publicised events, supporting secret actions and intervening in the supply
chain.

WORKING GROUPS
* A fundraising working group was formed
* A website working group was formed
* An international working group was formed

OTHER WORKING GROUP DECISIONS:

Space Group – It was agreed that space will be rented in the local area
starting with a 6 month contract!

Action Support – A £200 emergency budget was agreed

Networking – The gathering agreed to cover the cost of tshirts and badges.

Process - a set of guidelines were agreed that working groups:

* must have climate camp email address displayed on website;
* must respond to emails frequently;
* must be open to all to join unless agreed as closed by gathering; *
must give feedback & meet at gatherings;
* must only spend Camp money if approved in line with a budget.
* must strive to rotate roles, share skills and bring in new people’

NEXT GATHERING
Was set for London 13th/14th December.

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The Forum is P&P's democratic decision-making event - submit your proposals by 8 December

TAKE BACK THE POWER
TWO CALLS TO ACTION
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48 HOURS OF ACTION AGAINST E.ON AND NEW COAL

Friday 28th and Saturday 29th November 2008

Fifteenth UN Climate Conference Copenhagen

30th of November, 2009

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of huge institutions such as energy corporations and governments. But the Climate Camp has shown that we don’t have to feel that way.

This summer, despite the millions that E.ON and the Government spent, we massively embarrassed an international energy giant and outsmarted 26 police forces to run the biggest climate camp ever. They threw everything they could at us, but failed to hold us back. We’re just ordinary people with a cause. And we proved our power – not just to the outside world, but to ourselves. Now we know what we can do our movement is stronger than ever.

While we wait for a Government decision to give e.on the go-ahead at Kingsnorth or not, we are organising to face them off on every front. Should the go-ahead be given we will be ready and waiting; ready to stop the bulldozers reaching the site; ready to disrupt the supply chain: ready to stop new coal; ready to take back the power.-->

Starting with 48hrs of action against e.on, we will continually take action against companies attempting to reignite the coal industry in the UK.

Join us - The Camp for Climate Action is an open and welcoming network with a group near you. Visit the “Local Groups” page to find our how you can get involved in kick starting the energy revolution!

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