It’s Getting Hot In Here

Since the first Camp for Climate Action in 2006 the radical climate movement has been developing well; in terms of skills, numbers and experience. The Climate Camp was born out a set of needs: need for space to build campaigns and discuss ideas, the need for education on climate problems and solutions, and the need to act against the root causes of climate change.

The Climate Camp is unusually in how it sets out to meet these aims, the idea of consensus decision making is perhaps the most important distinguishing factor. This idea of consensus partly stems from the strongly anti-authoritarian philosophy within the camp, and is with decision making at the appropriate level rather than from the top down. Whole camp issues are gone through in detail by working groups that are open to all comers, these produce proposals for discussion by the whole camp. Decisions effecting smaller groups are dealt with by those smaller groups. Working groups exist for dealing with ongoing whole camp issues and are generally in regular communication,all working groups get together at monthly national gatherings, which take place around the country and minutes to which are made available online. These national gatherings are hosted by regional groups which exist to organise the various neighbourhoods which–along with there own kitchens, toilets, marquees–make up the accommodation areas of the camp. This openness, freedom for local groups and range of working groups make the whole climate camp process both extremely inspirational and empowering as everyone can find a group that is working on an area of personal interest or in need there own skills.

In the first two years this way of functioning has has managed to create a movement with increasing momentum. The first camp, at Drax, the largest coal fired power plant in the UK, attracted some 600 people and led to a great deal of national press coverage as well as evening news items. In terms of radical politics this was effectively a re-launch of a dormant movement; not since the anti-roads protests of the 1990’s has such an influential radical political grouping been active. Bringing together diverse groups working on corporate globalisation, southern rights, trade justice and inequality under the banner of climate change activism has been a significant development—one which has inspired similar actions around the world and that continues to grow.

Above:Last year a group of US activists made a video in solidarity with us. This made us feel that we where part of something global, many more developments in this area are happening this year…to many for this space but to all of you out there working on climate change solidarity and good luck with your future plans!

The numbers at the 2007 Camp for Climate Action, at Heathrow, where roughly double those of the first year. Press coverage was global and the workshops timetable was significantly expanded to provide over 100 workshops on topics ranging from site practicalities to direct action training, climate science, international climate policy, building social movements and a lot else besides.

I think that everyone involved felt that these meetings where a huge success, the actual events however, where never going to achieve our aims on there own. So whilst planning for the largest climate camp ever we are also starting to think about the question is do we even do a camp next year? Is the camp a useful element of a movement or should we place our energies into other things? If the climate camp is only an element of a movement that what is its role and how can it do this better? One answer to this is the energy that certain campaigns have picked up from the camp due to the workshops which are a great opportunity for getting active people interested and engaged with important work. Structuring days along a theme building towards campaign launches and campaign commitments—basically working as an incubator for activism—is one way in which the camp could play a central role. This debate is getting underway early this year, giving lots of time to decide on the best strategy for building the radical climate action movement.

Naturally all of this work, energy and success has aroused a great deal of interest from the police who aren’t too interested in the planet’s safety, and rather more interested in protecting the fossil fuel powered, corporate controlled status quo.

Above:this is rather well illustrated by this video: I arrive at the London meeting expressing my surprise at absence of police officers, then I meet around 8 police officers who proceed to photograph everyone going in or out of the meeting building, then I nearly get arrested for walking in front of a police camera which is aimed at fellow activist and failing to give my name and address, finally after some time I provide my details rather than risk spending 6 hours in a police cell…I came to a meeting after all!

This year the Camp for Climate Action is being launched by a major meeting on aviation expansion, this will be followed by a caravan procession from Heathrow to Kingsnorth power plant in Kent, where the camp will run from the 3rd-11th of August.

1. Late July: Heathrow event and travel to Kingsnorth. Details soon… Sunday August 3th: Camp set up. We’ll all make the camp happen together.
2. Monday August 4th-10th: Workshops, networking and action training.
3. Wednesday August 6th: Day of Action against Agrofuels
4. Saturday August 9th: Day of Mass Action against Kingsnorth coal-fired power station
5. Monday August 11th: Help return the camping field back to nature.