Feature: The Ratcliffe Trial - 'While Governments Talk, People Act'
Submitted by: CtrlAltShift.
24.11.10
As we approach the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun (November 29-December 10), a collective of climate change activists have come together to provide this report which measures the Ratcliffe 114 trial against the summit event...
In our opinion, last December's climate talks in Copenhagen were doomed to failure. As early as 12 months before they took place the media, national leaders, and scientific experts were bemoaning the fact that nothing positive could come out of them. Now the COP16 talks in Cancun have arrived and the press may as well have copy and pasted the articles they'd written two years ago.
And yet our government and those of so called 'developed countries' all round the world continue to profess that they are trying their very hardest, doing the very best they can...
'So while governments talk and energy companies lobby - people act. Then they face severe retribution for their actions, despite evidence... that by preventing those CO2 emissions, they would in fact be preventing a greater crime'
Some of those who really are trying their very hardest, refusing to comply with neglect for the environment, taking collective responsibility to reduce the UK's carbon emissions and strive towards a sustainable future - are currently facing a prison sentence for their courage to act.
Cancun could be a breakthrough, but there's no evidence to suggest it will be and plenty to suggest it won't. Whereas by succeeding in shutting down Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station the 114 people arrested last year would have been preventing at thousands of tonnes of CO2 being emitted. A tiny amount in the bigger picture - maybe - but perhaps more than any of the recent COP talks has managed. And all the while sending a stark message to the country that governments, legislation and corporations have to act more in our favour when it comes to climate change, because the energy industry is driven by profit, not a conscience.
So while governments talk and energy companies lobby - people act. Then they face severe retribution for their actions, despite evidence by senior climate scientists - such as Jim Hansen, appearing in court for the Ratcliffe trial - that by preventing those CO2 emissions, they would in fact be preventing a greater crime. The truly guilty parties here? E.ON and anyone (including those in the government) that allows energy companies to continue to build power stations fuelled by coal.
The 20 standing trial at the moment deserve our support for daring to act. The prosecution itself has outlined the measures to which the accused were planning to ensure the safety of all those involved and the effort they were taking to ensure the message would be heard. So instead of filling column inch after column inch with depressing condemnations of COP16's progress, why not fill them with support for the Ratcliffe Trial, and maybe, just maybe more will be inspired to take climate action and take responsibility to steer our country towards a sustainable future.
We ask for support in challenging those who say that conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass is a greater crime than emitting hundreds and thousands of tonnes of CO2 which contributes to the 300,000 already dying each year due to man-made climate change.
To read more about the trial of the Ratcliffe 114 and show your support go to www.ratcliffeontrial.org
Words: ratcliffeontrial
Photo: Flickr user Matt West, of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
Disclaimer: This is an article provided by various members of the Ratcliffe 114, and is not necessarily reflective of Ctrl.Alt.Shift or Christian Aid views.
