History and key actions Rising Tide UK

1 history , key actions

1.1 origins (2000) , political statement
1.2 campaign against fossil fuel companies sponsorship of public institutions
1.3 canadian tar sands campaign (2010 onwards)
1.4 blockade of ffos-y-fran coal mine (26-04-10)
1.5 crude awakening (16-10-10)

history , key actions
origins (2000) , political statement

rising tide uk , international rising tide network significant part of wider environmental , social justice movement started crystallise in new millennium, fuelled increasing concern climate change , inaction of governments deal it. rising tide formed around political statement written coalition of groups came in november 2000 organise protests , events @ united nations climate conference of parties (cop6) in hague. cop6 6th un conference on climate change, ended collapsing on proposals carbon sinks in order avoid reducing emissions.

the rising tide political statement defined group’s initial position, , allowed international network develop around shared purpose. @ international rising tide meeting in barcelona in february 2002, statement updated , re-written. in 2011 statement once again being re-drafted adapt changing political circumstances , set out analysis shared groups in international network.

campaign against fossil fuel companies sponsorship of public institutions

among rtuk’s primary targets since inception have been institutions , events in uk sponsored fossil fuel industry – element of industry’s public face particularly vulnerable action within uk. alongside various other environmentalist groups in uk, rtuk has aimed make fossil-fuel sponsorship unacceptable tobacco sponsorship has become.

key targets of campaign have been oil sponsorship of museums in london such tate museums , national portrait gallery’s annual portrait award, , london 2012 olympics. in 2008, campaigning art not oil, rising tide uk , other organisations helped persuade london s natural history museum cancel “wildlife photographer of year” sponsorship deal shell.

canadian tar sands campaign (2010 onwards)

in 2010 rtuk started working few key partners, such uk tar sands network , canada-based indigenous environmental network, against companies involved in oil extraction in canadian tar sands. tar sands extraction has been linked massive water pollution, freshwater depletion, increased cancer rates among local communities, land rights issues , wholesale destruction of large areas of forests in canada. these issues, alongside increased carbon emissions involved in tar sands extraction have led them dubbed “the destructive project on earth”.

rtuk has focused on increased involvement of uk-based oil companies, bp , shell. in 2010 involved in organising actions engage public tar sands – such “save canada” mission trafalgar square’s canada day celebrations – , supported protests , anti-tar sands shareholder resolution @ bp agm.

blockade of ffos-y-fran coal mine (26-04-10)

one of successful rising tide uk actions of recent years rising tide bristol’s blockading of single train line transports coal ffos-y-fran land reclamation scheme. ffos-y-fran 1 of largest open pit coal mines in europe, , operates close houses of local community in merthyr tydfil, have been campaigning against it.

on 26th of april 2010, group of rising tide activists locked on train tracks , stopped mine being able send out coal. after 4 hours, police removed , arrested group, @ point second concealed group made known , locked on. end of day no coal had been able leave mine, , 18 people arrested. charges of obstruction of railway intent, carries maximum sentence of life, have been dropped. 13 pleaded guilty lesser charge of obstruction of railway, while charges against 5 others dropped. .

crude awakening (16-10-10)

in october 2010 rising tide 1 of groups involved in organising around crude awakening mass action, blockaded coryton oil refinery in essex – largest refinery in england – on 7 hours. action attracted more 500 people, , in attempt outmanoeuvre police utilised new tactic of keeping location secret participants until on way it, tactic experimented on rising tide actions earlier in year.