Sunday, May 8, 2016 – 12:00 to 14:00
So, let’s do it:
Since May 2015 clean energy has been sidelined by the government’s dash for gas, subsidy cuts for clean energy; pushing through roads and runways despite strong local opposition. So what better way to mark the government’s one year anniversary than to march – backwards – down Whitehall?
Climate Revolution has joined with Campaign against Climate Change, Time to Act and other dedicated activists to put together: “Going Backwards on Climate Change”, a visible symbol of the government’s backtracking on climate.
Along our route down Whitehall we’ll stop to highlight some of the most dangerous backwards steps so far, with props and stunts, personal testimonies and maybe even a spot of poetry and song! Including…
Renewables cuts – showing the dismantling (quite literally) of the solar and onshore wind industries, leading to many thousands of job losses. With a special mention for community energy groups joining us doing the very best they can under restrictive policies.
Fracking – neither the solution to climate change nor to energy security, why is the government trying to push it through at all costs? We’ll show solidarity with all the amazing resistance groups around the country.
Aviation expansion – outside Downing Street we will remind David Cameron of his broken promise. All together now: ‘No ifs, no buts, no third runway!’ Featuring a roll-out runway and planes for all.
Insulation funding cuts – the UK has some of the most poorly insulated homes in Europe, and stopping this energy waste should be a no-brainer for tackling climate change and reducing fuel poverty – a winter killer.
Subsidising fossil fuels – we’ll end up outside the Treasury. George Osborne and his department have done the most to reverse progress on climate change, and they’re still happy to hand out massive tax breaks to the oil and gas industries. A special presentation here.
And more…
Finally we’ll end on a positive: it’s Time to Go Forwards on Climate Change. Get out your banners with positive slogans, re-assemble that wind turbine. And give a shout out for all the activists dedicated to keeping fossil fuels in the ground, fighting for our climate and winning hearts and minds.
We can win this!
Here are the main policy changes that risk wrecking our climate. Let’s stop the government now:
Removing onshore wind subsidies – support for the cheapest form of clean energy will now end in April 2016 read more
Cuts to solar funding – endangering a vital industry in order to save households just 50p-£1.20 a year on bills. New community energy projects, which help not just our climate but have many benefits for local communities, will be far more difficult to establish read more
Making renewables pay the climate change levy – which was meant to encourage renewables – extending this tax to them it will cost the industry £3.9 billion read more
Planning changes to block onshore wind – making it much more difficult to build wind turbines, even when schemes have community support. read more
More planning changes to fast-track fracking – only 16 weeks allowed for councils or ministers step in read more
Even when councils reach a decision, ministers may overrule it (see above)
New tax breaks for fossil fuels – £1.3 billion more announced in March – no cuts here! read more
Scrapping the Green Deal for home insulation – What’s worse than the weak Green Deal scheme? No support at all for home insulation. read more
Osborne announced in his autumn statement that funding for grants for insulation and efficient boilers for low-income households would also be cut. read more
Scrapping the Zero Carbon Homes target – which was supported by housebuilders as well as environmentalists read more
Massive road-building plans – £15 billion road-building spree still going ahead amid austerity read more
Planning an unnecessary new runway in the South East (and quietly ditching previous pledges on Heathrow) – a new runway at Heathrow could emit the same amount of CO2 as the whole country of Kenya! read more
Removing tax incentives to buy less-polluting cars – more polluting cars will be cheaper to run, efficient ones, much more expensive under the new rules read more
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