Extinction Rebellion Thanet will be staging a march around Ramsgate harbour today (August 31).
Demonstrators are assembling at Government Acre, opposite Churchill’s Tavern,now (11.30am),and XR Thanet will march down Royal Parade to the harbour, where its volunteers will block the main road for seven minutes before moving off to the main sands next to the Royal Victoria Pavilion.
Their message is about climate change and its likely impacts on rising sea levels, food production and supply, and on increasingly extreme weather events. Demonstrators say it will be a joyful occasion that involves singing, performance art and a celebration of life.
The demonstration has been organised in part to keep the climate emergency in the news agenda and partly to maintain the pressure on Thanet’s politicians, most of whom are party to declarations about the climate emergency.
XR Thanet says the isle currently faces a range of issues, all of which have a serious environmental impact including the decision on reopening Manston airport as a freight hub, the industrialisation of the port of Ramsgate, the lack of coastline resilience planning, live animal exports and inade-quate protections for habitats across the district.
Like the rest of the country, Thanet also faces the wider impacts of climate change, such as more frequent and extreme climate events and the increasing disruption to food supplies.
Peter Batt, of XR Thanet, said: “We have our share of issues to contend with here in Thanet and we’re determined to keep up the pressure for change. For instance, the support for reopening Manston airport as a freight hub by our two MPs – Craig MacKinlay and Roger Gale – as well as from councillors on Thanet District Council, is inconsistent with the declared intentions to deal with the climate emergency.
“Aviation is a major contributor to carbon emissions, yet the airport plan is often justified on the grounds of its alleged economic benefits to the local economy and jobs.
“What they don’t seem to consider is that there will be no jobs on a dead planet – no food, no economic growth or prosperity, and no future.
“Business as usual is a slow-motion death sentence. Mass starvation isn’t a great springboard for an economic boom.”
The march follows XR Thanet’s successful involvement in Margate Pride earlier this month and the campaign for Thanet District Council’s climate emergency declaration. The event is due to conclude at around 3pm.
How many of these demonstrators fly off on their holidays I wonder?
No airport here? It will just be built somewhere else not far away.
Do they want Thanet covered in concete, tarmac and bricks from thousands of houses?
Why do demonstrations always involve inconvenirenience to others?
As if Brexit isn’t enough to get on with at the moment.
And yes, climate change is a real worry.
“How many of these demonstrators fly off on their holidays I wonder?”
Well, do you have an answer? I don’t, but I do know a lot of people who are trying to change their behaviour, including reducing or eliminating their flying.
“No airport here? It will just be built somewhere else not far away.”
Not necessarily. If everyone protests everywhere, and it’s effective, then airports won’t be built anywhere. Just shrugging your shoulders will not save the planet.
“Do they want Thanet covered in concete, tarmac and bricks from thousands of houses?”
The council is legally obliged to build houses somewhere, and people have to live somewhere, don’t they? What is actually wrong with concrete, tarmac and bricks? They won’t destroy the climate but they will give people somewhere to live.
“Why do demonstrations always involve inconvenirenience to others?”
Seven minutes of stopping traffic is not as inconvenient as destroying the environment I would have thought. The whole point of protest is to make people stop and think.
“As if Brexit isn’t enough to get on with at the moment.”
Climate breakdown knocks Brexit into a cocked hat. Brexit is neither here nor there in comparision.
“And yes, climate change is a real worry”
Agreed!
The demonstration was well organised and delivered – from what I could see.
My only issue was the guy in his very old, very diesel Landrover who was driving up and down the hill. Hardly a great advert for the environmentally conscious demonstrators.
But the rest – looked great, and well done!
The issue of flying is an interesting one. At present people can pay to offset their carbon footprint if they fly. The problem of to fly or not to fly is not so simple. If you don’t fly then you would presumably go by sea this is also a problem this week the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA) revealed that a ferry, on average, releases 120g of CO2 (per passenger, per kilometre) that 3 times more than flying. If we don’t fly or go by ferry/cruise then travelling to other countries will have to be drastically cut back. Even going by train produces nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter that can contribute to air pollution. Buses like cars also produce pollution, delivery of goods by rail, sea and air also contribute to pollution.
The other issue is now we live in a global world with trade and travel how do you reverse this. The short answer is you can’t. The only solution is to make air,sea,rail and road travel better and more ecologically responsible through technology.
Global warming has already happened and is going to get worse, to slow it down will require across the board changes not just in travel but in industry/farming/Housing to name a few. Even if all emissions were to end today, it would still take 100 years to recover. That said we shouldn’t stop trying.
I think some of this data is wrong. See here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_transport
There is more to it than simply looking at co2 per passenger kilometer. You need to look at the number of journeys made per sector, too.
On that basis, cars are the worst, producing 40% of global co2, compared with aviation, which produces only 11%, because many, many more car journeys are undertaken than flights.
The best way to travel ( if you must, and it’s too far to walk or cycle) is to take the train (just 4% of the total). And because trains are an order of magnitude more efficient than anything else, a *lot* of train journeys would have to be taken to be as bad as , say, motoring.
We simply have to cut down our use of fossil fuels dramatically. Don’t drive: take the bus or train. Or walk. Don’t fly.
The Planet can’t afford it.
Thought it was Coachella.
C02 is not a pollutant , there are real pollutants got ash etc,
Crop yield esp.maize increases with more c02,
370 parts per million is nothing , It has been much higher , and if you live in a forest or visit the theatre you will be exposed to c02 levels twice that .
These people are deluded , they attach ridiculous religious-like doomsday predictions to studies that do not predict that.
You need to look at the science.
Indeed, co2 is not a pollutant. Nor is it (unlike Carbon Monoxide) toxic. However, if you breathe concentrated co2 you will asphyxiate.
But that’s not the problem (yet). Co2 is a greenhouse gas. The more co2 there is in the atmosphere, the higher the air temperature becomes. That’s science.
Indeed, you are correct to say that co2 levels have been much higher. But so was the air temperature. Higher air temperature leads to higher sea levels (the Greenland and Antarctic ice caps melt) .
That’s science.
Major cities (including London and New York) will be under water. The Sahara desert will move north into southern Europe.
That’s science.
Whole populations will migrate north.
You will not be exposed to co2 concentrations of over 740 ppm if you go for a wander in the woods.
Contrary to your last comment, all the scientific studies point to a doomsday scenario unless we immediately cut our co2 emissions by an order of magnitude.
people breathe out CO2 plants exchange this for O2 this is science
reduce the number of people this reduces the CO2 and plant more flora simples and that is science as well
What right do these selfish morons have to block the road? I wish they were extinct! If they’re so gullible, vulnerable, and easily manipulated, that is their problem. Have your ridiculous demonstration, but don’t let it effect others who do not believe the money making climate scam that you do! Grrrr
One consequence of global warming seems to be an impact on people’s ability to differentiate between “Affect” and “Effect”.
But perhaps, if you can, enlighten us as to how climate change concerns are a money making scam?
Theyare shouting look at me and do nothing for their cause. Driving is the largest polutant yet they all drove there and were drivinh 4x4s up and down the road. Tedious.
Thanks for your reply Tony. It’s interesting to see that the most important point that you make is my grammar. Like many in Thanet and on this forum we have suffered a poor education, and have had difficult lives, many with disabilities, to criticize me on the point is to bully half of the residents in Thanet, good luck!
Can I explain to you on this forum why Climate Change Theory is a scam? …… No, it would be too big a subject for here, as you know. There are abundant resources available for your own research, should you desire. Maybe you would like to ask yourself why all the numerous, and often compulsory products, and tech produced for us as consumers to fight Climate Change cost so much money, and who benefits financially? Maybe you would consider how many taxes, fines, and tolls have been introduced to combat the Climate Change Scam, and who benefits? To drive my small 5 years old van into London now costs me £22 per day in levies. Western countries are extremely corrupt, but it is more well hidden than Asia, and Africa. We in UK are the fifth richest country in the World, but look around you, what a s***hole it is, and how broken are all our services, ask where are all your taxes going, corruption? There is nothing that humankind can do to alter the temperature of this planet, only the sun can do that. If you want to believe the so called ‘Elites’ manipulated figures that’s your choice, but I suggest you study the planets natural weather cycles. Research this scam yourself, follow the money! If you are a working man Tony, earning an average wage, count up all the taxes you pay on your income, and it will total 65/75% percent of your income. It is a scam, a corruption, and you are their obedient slave!
And, am I apologetic for calling the Extinction Rebellion group Morons? No! What right do they have to block my path, and remove my rights?!
Now Tony see how many faults are in my grammar you can find, boring little man.
“There is nothing that humankind can do to alter the temperature of this planet, only the sun can do that. If you want to believe the so called ‘Elites’ manipulated figures that’s your choice, but I suggest you study the planets natural weather cycles. ”
Not so. Not only is your grammar faulty, but so is your grasp of paleoclimatology.
What you are referring to are the Milankovich Cycles. These are three perturbations in the way the Earth rotates and revolves around the sun. Indeed, they do result in systematic oscillations in the Earth’s temperature in cycles over 10,000 – 100,000 years.
They do not, however, explain the huge and rapid rise in global temperature that has occurred since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The only credible explanation is anthropomorphic forcing.
As regards to my comments about the sun causing climate change Tony, I was referring to solar flares, sunspots, and their cycle, which are often 10, 20 , 30 years long, thus causing weather cycles on the Earth of corresponding periods. If you want to believe Farting Cows are going to cause the doom of all mankind then more fool you. While the fat rich controllers of the earth sit back in their luxuries, reducing your quality of life, and charging you more for it; and how you must stop eating meat, “eat insects instead”. Wake up Tony, Big Brother has got to you.
And Tony, nobody is impressed that you just copied, and pasted from Wikipedia. Think for yourself. Research the figures you read, they are often selectively manipulated.
Oh deary, deary me.
Sun spots cycle over 11 years. They do not account for the global rise in temperature (which corresponds to the global rise in CO2) over the couple of hundred years since the Industrial Revolution.
Humans burning fossil fuels, however, does.
As for “farting cows”: indeed they are part of the problem. The methane they produce rapidly changes to CO2 and water vapour, each of which is a greenhouse gas.
Where ever did you get the idea that we should eat insects (nutritious though they are)? All we need do is cut back on beef and dairy.
(No references to wikipedia were made in the submission of these posts. I have extensively researched and read peer reviewed academic literature pertaining to climate change, cos it’s an interest of mine.)