Activists from Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion are calling for immediate government action on climate change with a march on Saturday, 9th December in Southampton. The march is part of an international day of action by the Climate Justice Coalition, with events happening across the globe. The day takes place halfway through the COP 28 conference, where global leaders are meeting to negotiate measures to be taken to limit the amount of carbon emissions produced, in order to curb the effects of global warming.
Meeting in the Guildhall Square area at 12.45pm on Saturday, protesters will march to the Bargate and back, with drumming and brief information talks. At 2.30pm, march attendees are invited to come to Art House, Southampton for food and refreshments, before taking part in a ‘Community Assembly’. The assembly will give people the opportunity to meet other members of the community and discuss what environmental issues in Southampton people care about, what changes need to be made, and how the community can work together to make these changes happen.
Lyn Brayshaw, spokesperson for Friends of the Earth Southampton, says: ‘Climate breakdown is no longer a problem of the future – it’s happening now, and above all climate related disasters are happening in countries that did the least to contribute to this crisis. Meanwhile, the UK has signed off plans to expand drilling for new oil and gas – adding flames to the fire, and doing nothing to reduce the cost of living but doing plenty to add to the profits of the corporations most responsible for this crisis, paid for by us through our extortionate bills.’
Corin Holloway, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion Southampton, says: ‘We must dramatically and immediately reduce the use of fossil fuels – and overturn the systems of extraction, exploitation and oppression fuelling this breakdown. We have no faith that the COP28 Summit will deliver this, as it is presided over by an oil executive in the United Arab Emirates. We need to act together to change the course of the future, and we call on people to join us for the march on the 9th December, and to then come together for a community assembly to decide how Southampton should tackle this challenge together.’
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