Tuesday 19 August 2008

What was Climate Camp all about?

For some, it was merely another summer festival. Music, booze and other gregarious activities.
For others, a learning experience, an extension to the academic year, a crash course in climate science so to speak.
And for a radical few this was a good chance for a run in with the police and possibly cause a little mayhem.
But what was the point? Did anyone actually believe that the activists were going to shut down the power station on the saturday as the organisers had wanted to do? Very unlikely. What wold be more plausible is that a peaceful demonstration would help to highlight the concerns of many people that climate change is a very frightening prospect. And when the Government says it is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and then gives i support to new coal-fired power stations, the dirtiest fuel available, a few alarm bells must have been ringing. Public opinion has now shifted towards emissions reduction even if it means at a greater expense to the tax payer and consumer. However, like so many important issues it can easily fade into insignificance if not in the public's domain. Which is why Climate Camp was so important - it showed that the public want continued action on the matter and no measures that would reverse any gains made towards a low carbon economy. Even the bad publicity was beneficial because the spotlight was on this on issue for the week that climate camp went on. And many of the activists will be back to stop the building if E-On is allowed to build a new coal-fired power station.
The decision now rests with John Hutton, the Secretary of State for Business. Does he prioritise emissions reductions or does he does he give the green light for power companies to keep producing the emissions that the government says it wants to reduce, but isn't prepared to do anything about?