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[News] from [guardian.co.uk]

[Environment >10:10 climate change camaign]
Lib Dems call for Westminster to sign 10:10 climate pledge
David Adam and Alok Jha
The Guardian, Saturday 5 September 2009 Article history

The 10:10 campaign to encourage Britons – and Britain – to cut carbon emissions reached the seat of governmenttoday, with a public call on the Palace of Westminster to sign up. Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat energy and climate change spokesman, wrote to John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, to ask for his support.

Hughes wrote: "I am sure you will agree that taking action on climate change is not just about government policy. It is also about individuals, organisations and employers at all levels taking responsibility … Given the importance that Britain sets a global example on climate change, I believe it would be fitting if the Palace of Westminster and the parliamentary estate joined the campaign."

The Speaker's office confirmed that the letter had been received and Bercow said he would refer the request to the House of Commons commission, chaired by the Speaker, which makes decisions about matters relating to the house. "The house is aware of its obligations to cut carbon emissions," said Bercow.

The 10:10 campaign, which is supported by the Guardian, asks people, groups and businesses to cut their carbon emissions by 10% during 2010. It was launched this week ahead of the political countdown to key talks on global warming in Copenhagen in December. The organisers hope to pressure Ed Miliband, energy and climate change secretary, into a public pledge for Britain to cut its emissions by as close to 10% as possible in 2010.

Some climate experts have warned that such a move could be unhelpful, as it could encourage a rush of short-term policies that would have limited lasting benefit.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats also called last night on the coalition Plaid Cymru-Labour Welsh government to join the growing campaign. Mick Bates of the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "The 10:10 campaign sends a clear message to the Welsh government that the One Wales target to reduce carbon emissions by 3% per year from 2011 is simply inadequate."

A Welsh assembly government spokesman said the assembly had already made a long term commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses. She said: "We welcome the 10:10 campaign and its efforts to get individuals to reduce their carbon footprint … The minister is supporting the campaign in a personal capacity and is encouraging all assembly members to do the same.

The number signed up for the campaign was approaching 11,000 last night. New sign-ups included major city law firm Slaughter and May, as well as the MumsRock website. Its founder, Gigi Eligoloff, said: "What we're going to do is come up with a user-friendly shopping list for mums on really easy and realistic ways to get their carbon footprint down."

Separately, Caroline Lucas, the leader of the Green party, told her party's annual conference yesterday that the government's failure to properly address the problem of climate change was "nothing less than a political crime".


[Environment >Activism]
Drax coal train hijackers sentenced
Judge orders fines, unpaid work and conditional discharges for group of activists including senior lecturer, teachers and preacher
Helen Carter
guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 September 2009 17.57 BST Article history

Environmental protesters who hijacked a freight train carrying coal to one of Europe's largest power stations were today sentenced to community service and ordered to pay costs and compensation to Network Rail.

The group had taken part in a non-violent protest against climate change at the giant Drax power station near Selby, north Yorkshire, in June last year when they halted a train carrying 1,000 tonnes of coal.

Twenty nine people were convicted in July following a four-day jury trial at Leeds crown court. Today, at the same court, Judge James Spencer QC, ordered five, who had previous convictions, to do 60 hours unpaid work and three were ordered to pay £1,000 in costs and £500 compensation to Network Rail. The judge said the loss to the company had been almost £37,000. Twenty one members of the group were given conditional discharges for 12 months.

Judge Spencer told them: "You were involved in an elaborate plan to interfere with other people going about their lawful business. Each one of you were involved in this scheme to disrupt the influx of coal to Drax power station." He said they did it by criminal means.

The campaigners had hoped to repeat the Kingsnorth Six judgment a year ago, when activists who defaced a power station chimney were acquitted by a jury in Kent, after arguing that their act was necessary to prevent the greater crime represented by carbon pollution. But in the Drax case, the trial judge refused to admit similar arguments.

Beth Stratford, who was given a conditional discharge, said after the judgment: "If the same standards were applied to the Drax board members then they would have to serve several life term's worth of community service penalties to repay their debt to society. We have a duty to respect the law but we have an even great duty to protect human life from misery."

The trial had been told how the train was stopped by two men purporting to be Network Rail staff, wearing fluorescent orange jackets and hard hats and holding a red flag. Moments later the train and a nearby bridge were scaled by the protesters wearing white paper boiler suits and carrying banners.

The protest lasted 16 hours, causing delays to numerous freight and passenger services and a costly clean-up operation as they had shovelled coal off the train.

The defendants were convicted in July of obstructing an engine or carriage using a railway.

Among the group are a senior university lecturer, teachers a preacher and a film-maker. Most of the group receive only modest incomes and many had large student loans outstanding.

One of them, Grainne Gannon, 26, has a previous conviction for gluing herself to the Department of Transport.

The preacher, Reverend Malcolm Carroll, 53, from Stafford, has previous convictions for other political protests dating back five years. He was ordered to complete 60 hours unpaid work.

The court was told that none of the protesters had been violent and that the train driver did not feel threatened. He described the group as 'friendly and polite'.

Following the trial, chief crown prosecutor for Yorkshire Rob Turnbull said: "This was not a peaceful demonstration about the environment, but a well-planned and executed crime."

Speaking at the trial, protester Jonathan Stevenson, who was ordered to pay costs and compensation, said: "The prosecution have not challenged the facts we presented to you on oath about the consequences of burning coal at Drax: 180 human lives lost every year, species lost forever. There is a direct, unequivocal, proven link between the emissions of carbon dioxide at this power station and the appalling consequences of climate change."

Among those who were ordered to complete unpaid work were Rev Carroll, Robin Gillett, Paul Morozzo and Paul Mellett and Christopher Ward. Kristina Jones, Jasmine Karalis, Bryan Farrelly, Ellen Potts, Melanie Evans, Jonathan Stevenson, Sam Martingell, Amy Clancy, Paul Chatterton, Bertie Russell, Felix Wight, Elizabeth Whelan, Thomas Spencer, Matthew Fawcett, Thomas Johnstone, Graine Gannon and Clemmie James were given conditional discharges. So were Theo Bard, Theo Brown, Beth Stratford and Bryn Hoskins.

Of the group, Chatterton, Farrelly and Stevenson, were each ordered to pay £1,000 in court costs and compensation.

Two other protesters will be sentenced next month and another woman who was too ill to attend court will also be sentenced on October 2.