Global Justice Now Reading

Corporates – Saints or Devils: 5th July

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‘Corporates – Saints or Sinners’, our last meeting, provided a startling insight into why corporates behave the way they do. We started by playing an updated version of Corporate Monopoly. Then I gave a talk based on the book, ‘The Corporation. The Pathological pursuit of Profit and Power’ by Joel Bakan. I thoroughly recommend the book. It is a relatively easy read. You can also watch the film of it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOafbpaVw90

You can borrow the new Corporate Monopoly game from Jackie. Also, last year’s version of Corporate Monopoly is still available on the website at:  globaljustice.org.uk/infographics/corporatemonopoly .  It is well worth looking at if you haven’t seen it before.

GJR CM

Global Justice Now AGM, Bristol

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Saturday 10th June: Global Justice Now’s National Gathering and AGM in Bristol.

 

This featured external speakers from Attac and other groups and an opportunity was a first opportunity to come together and discuss. Jackie and John found the event liberating and very stimulating.

 

Divestment Mobilisation

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Today, 6.5.17, we joined the Global Divestment Mobilisation. We had a stall in Broad Street near Lloyds Bank and HSBC. Nearly 200 people have signed our petition asking the banks to go #FossilFree

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BeanPole Day 22 April 2017

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Beanpole1Beanpole2BeanPole Day, at Caversham Court, Reading, is usually a successful occasion, swarming with fellow travellers committed to the environment and this year’s event was no different. Dressed as jesters, which attracted attention, Jackie and John plied visitors and stall holders with the Big Shift petition calling for the Big Banks to invest customers’ money in renewables, not fossil fuels. Many were more than willing to sign. The argument that fossil fuels were now stranded assets in the light of the Paris Agreement convinced waverers. We were pleasantly suprised by those who had heard that during the previous day, no UK electricity had been generated by coal. It may be rather slow but we are making valuable progress. Grateful thanks to our helpers for taking over the stall for a while.

Jest(er) leave it in the ground

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Global Justice Reading’s April Fool’s Day demonstration

outside Barclays Bank, Broad Street, Reading

We met for our April Fool’s Day demonstration at 11am 1st April, outside Barclays Bank, Broad Street, Reading?

Following our meeting ,”Change Climate Finance’, we asked four banks to stop investing in fossil fuels and increase their investments in renewables. April Fools’ day seemed a good day for the action because the banks are being foolish in investing in coal and oil that can never be used if we are to keep Global Warming below 2 degrees. And so it was

We targeted Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, and RBS branches in the middle of Reading. Jackie handed over letters to bank staff, and one to be forwarded to the CEO explaining how continuing to invest in fossil fuel extraction, rather than renewables, left bank customers exposed to ‘stranded assets’ that could have no value if the Paris Climate agreement to keep temperature increases below 2 deg C was to be achieved. We received some positive responses, and we hope for change in investment policies in the near future.

So, the event, well organised by Jackie, worked smoothly, with around 20 supporters and activists on parade. A great success on the day, with potential for future action.P2

 

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Change Climate Finance: Wed 8 March, RISC, 730 pm

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On Wednesday 8th March, at 7.30pm, at RISC, we held a joint meeting with Friends of the Earth, Reading entitled, ‘Change Climate Finance’.

Siobhan Grimes, from Christian Aid, talked about a campaign to get banks to support clean energy and abandon fossil fuels.

At present, banks invest much more money in mining for coal and drilling for oil than in renewables. We learned how we could encourage them to shift money towards investing in clean, renewable energy and being part of the solution to climate change.

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