Sustainable Wallingford is screening a Canadian documentary, Shattered Ground, about fracking and the effect it has already had in Canada and the USA – a timely warning as the UK government tries to introduce it over here. Tickets are £5. It’s happening at the Corn Exchange, 7:30pm.
fossil fuels
The Energy Bill of Rights
Our current energy system is stupid. People die because they can’t afford to heat their homes. Other people die because of climate change caused by fossil fuels. Energy companies make huge profits from natural resources while bullying people who can’t pay their bills. The group Fuel Poverty Action believes that another system is possible. They’ve created the Energy Bill of Rights. It’s a list of basic human rights relating to energy – such as the right to have enough energy to meet your basic needs.
Meet the miners
Have you ever heard of BHP Billiton? It’s the world’s biggest mining company, it’s the third largest company in the world, and it’s currently wreaking havoc in Colombia. WDM thinks it’s time to give a voice to the people affected by the actions of this huge corporation. So we’re working with London Mining Network (LMN) and other UK allies to organise events where Colombian residents affected by the Cerrejon coal mine can tell their story.
First up: a demonstration outside the BHP Billiton AGM on Thursday 23rd October. That will be in London. More relevant for Oxford people: there will be a meeting on Monday 3rd November where we will hear from one or more people affected by the Cerrejon coal mine, part-owned by BHP Billiton. This meeting will probably be introduced and chaired by someone from Oxford WDM. More details to follow!
Boost the petition for a Fossil Free Oxfordshire
It’s time for local authorities to take the lead in moving away from dependence on fossil fuels. Fossil Free Oxfordshire is calling on Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council to stop spending public money on fossil fuels. The campaign asks them to do two things:
1. Immediately freeze any new investments in fossil fuels
2. Divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within 5 years
Why? Because investing in fossil fuels is both economically and environmentally unsustainable. It’s bad for the future performance of their financial investments (which they’re making on our behalf, with our money) and more importantly, it’s bad for our future on this planet.
The petition calling on the councils is now very close to 400 signatures. Could you help to spread the word and make Fossil Free Oxfordshire look like a force to be reckoned with?
Fracking talk in Woodstock
What will happen if fracking comes to Oxfordshire? Dr Douglas Parr, Chief Scientist for Greenpeace, will be giving a talk in Woodstock on this subject. Come to the Community Centre, New Road, Woodstock, for 7:30pm on Wednesday 2nd July.
This event is organised by Sustainable Woodstock (not by WDM). Free entry, all welcome.
Fossil Free Oxford rally
The Oxfordshire local authorities and the University of Oxford have investment portfolios that include both direct and indirect investments in fossil fuel companies. But according to the IPCC, in order to avoid dangerous climate tipping points, 60-80% of known fossil fuel reserves must remain underground. They are “unburnable” assets from a climate perspective. Something doesn’t add up.
The Fossil Free Future rally in Oxford demands a stop to the “carbon bubble”, asking organisations such as Oxford City Council to stop investing in fossil fuels and start investing in a cleaner energy future. The march begins at 10:30 am from the Radcliffe Camera and finishes with a rally in Bonn Square at noon. This event is not organised by WDM.
