Climate activists boarded a gas mining rig in Dundee in an attempt to stop it from heading out to the North Sea. They came down about five hours later due to deteriorating weather conditions.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) Scotland said three of its members had climbed aboard the Valaris 122 rig and intended to there for as long as possible to prevent it from operating. The group is demanding the Scottish and UK governments “tell the truth” about the impact of the fossil fuel industry and its effect on climate change. Activists have also urged politicians to decommission fossil fuel infrastructure, introduce a “just transition” for workers and communities, and establish a legally binding citizens’ assembly for environmental issues.
Protester, Fiona, said the world has “zero chance” of staying below the 2C global warming limit set by the Paris climate agreement with the current size of the fossil fuel industry.
“We are currently living in a world warmed by 1.1C – and we are seeing the catastrophic, heartbreaking and devastating effects every day,” she said.
Jo said she was taking part in the protest for her niece.
“I don’t want to say to her that I didn’t take a stand when I had the choice and left it to other people to sort it out,” she said. “I am going to give it my best shot and go down fighting because I can see the world through her eyes and I want to protect things for her.”
Police said four men and three women have been arrested in connection with the protest.
Regardless of how sincere and dedicated environmental activists are, the truth of the matter is that if they do not work to replace the capitalist profit system then all their protests will be in vain. They have to set about dealing with the root causes of global warming and that is the economic structure of today's society. UN climate conferences always fail and for the same reason — the inability of the various capitalist states to agree on what needs to be done as some would suffer economically more than others, especially countries with fossil fuel resources which they use either for export or for domestic use as the cheapest energy source available.
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