BP Oil Workers Picket attacked by ‘anti-mutiny' police

Colombia Solidarity Campaign

Help Communities Opposing Bradley Open Cast

This years Earth First! Winter Moot was held in Dipton Community Centre, which looks over the proposed site for an open-cast at Bradley, in County Durham. Members of the local campaign against the mine have asked their supporters to write in their objection to the development.

UK Coal’s application is expected to be heard by the planning officials or Durham Council in the near future. The local campaign would appreciate it if people would write in letters of objection to the following address, stating the Application No. CMA/1/37

Mrs C.L.Teasdale
Plannng Development Control Team
Regeneration and Economic Development
Durham County Council
Durham
DH1 5UQ

The facts about this proposed mine:

• UK Coal has applied to surface mine 556,000 tonnes of coal from a coal seem covering 22,000 acres.

• The current version of the application is has not yet gone to the Planning Authority.

• The application is being resisted by The Pont Valley Network www.pontvalley.net

• If the application goes ahead the residents are particularly concerned about the loss of their heritage sites.

• The final destination for the coal is either the steel industry or a power station generating electricity.

• Burning this coal will release over 2 million tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.

• UK coal say the mine will create 38 jobs. Mr Cory of UK Coal says that there will be no new jobs but people will be transferred to this site.

• The mine will need 3 lorry trips per hour, each way.

• UK coal and other surface mining companies have applications at the planning stages for a further 13 mines in the area and a further 5 have been granted in the area.

• The nearest planned site also currently at the planning stages is Skons Park, which Hall construction are applying to extract half a million tonnes of coal fire clay. This application was last refused in 2007 but Halls have since reapplied this year.

The Bradley site is 10 miles south of Newcastle in a beautiful area. The proposed site can be seen from Newcastle and Cheviot on a clear day. A mine would scar the landscape; cause habitat destruction which would affect many species, including Great Crested Newts and Red Kites; contribute to catastrophic climate change; increase traffic locally and destroy the remains of wagon-ways and bell pit and shaft mines in the area. Residents are also concerned that if the mine is given the go ahead then they will see further extensions applied for and granted.

For more information about the site and to add strength to letters of objection please see http://pontvalley.net and the No Opencast Today or Tomorrow (NOTT) campaign

British Airways Scab Union Exposed

British Airways cabin crew have exposed the "Professional Cabin Crew Council" (PCCC) as a scab union.
http://www.unitetheunion.com/pdf/021-BASSASupplFeb2010revweb.pdf

Where Next after Copenhagen?

System Change not Climate Change
Copenhagen looks like it's going to be remembered for two things: one, exposing the COP process of "climate talks" for what they really are - the WTO under another guise, trying to push forward the neoliberal agenda of free trade, privatisation and slashing public spending, whatever the cost to the people and the planet.
But while they were busy drawing up licences to pollute, privatising the air, buying up the rainforests and reaffirming their addiction to fossil fuels, in the streets an exciting shift was taking place as an environmental movement turned into a movement for social justice, led by the powerful social movements of the Global South. This looks like it could be the moment where movements against climate change, war, attacks on workers' terms and conditions and attacks on the public sector all begin to come together to fight the common enemy - but it depends on what we all do now.
Films on the Copenhagen mobilisations including the enormous Saturday demo; delegations from movements in the Global South; La Via Campesina protests, agribusiness and food sovereignty; tar sands, peak oil and energy sovereignty; and the joint CJA/CJN "Reclaim Power" action, the people's assembly, green jobs and building a mass movement.
PLUS The Fujitsu strike, and whatever key workers struggles have happened by then - there's a lot of potential candidates! We'll be taking collections for strike funds.

www.reelnews.co.uk
http://www.starandshadow.org.uk/on/film/551
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-News/272870829604

Newcastle Papua Solidarity

SMD; of Hadrian Road, Newcastle; are completing a £33m contract to build two seafloor mining systems comprising two Seafloor Mining Tools (SMT) , umbilical systems, surface power and control systems and a single deck handling system. The contract is worth in excess of £30 million, making it one of SMD’s largest, and will run until early 2010. They are for the world's first project to mine seafloor copper, zinc gold and silver. This is the removal of the chimneys of hydrothermal vents in 1,500 meters of water in Papua New Guinea.

Mining Monitor
http://eyeonmining.wordpress.com/issues/deep-sea-mining/2008-update-on-nautilus-mining/
To be clear, SMS deposits is a synonymous term for black smoker hydrothermal vents. The goal of the company is to extract the chimneys, rich in valuable minerals, from hydrothermal vents.
... The obvious first question is whether Nautilus will operate in a more environmentally cautious manner than its shareholders or former company historically has.
... Craig Cary, a marine biologist at the University of Delaware in Newark, says the prospect is unthinkable because of the potential effects on marine life. “If I was in charge of reviewing permit requests there would be some serious questions to answer. Metal sulphides are nasty substances – how are they going to deal with that?” In Science Magazine’s Policy Forum, Jochen Halfar and Rod Fujita (Environmental Defense) wrote on the “Danger of Deep-sea Mining”. They cite sediment plumes, nutrient loads to oligotrophic surface waters, and toxic effects to the water column among their primary concerns. The Australia-based Mineral Policy Institute noted “There is little or no independent oversight of companies’ activities. Exploration activity… is not subject to appropriate regulation and control. This is a grave issue in this case as the areas targeted by these companies coincide with what has been identified as biodiversity hotspots in the region.”

Bougainville
http://www.eco-action.org/ssp/bougainville.html
The vents are 50 km north of Rabaul township, where the the Bougainville environmental revolutionaries negotiated their victory in the Organic Law for Autonomy. The people of Bougainville are one of the few groups of indigenous people to have shut down a mine owned by one of the mining giants of the world. Throughout the South Pacific, and indeed the world, this mineral-rich island with a population of only 160,000 has inspired those struggling for freedom and self-determination. Refusing to be bought off with paltry compensation offers, Bougainvilleans have often paid with their lives to defend their land, culture, environment and freedom.

SMD awarded contract for seafloor mining tools
http://www.smd.co.uk/news/view.php?id=25

Nautilus subsea mining system
http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMVII/2008may00125.html

Inflexion acquires subsea vehicle specialist SMD
http://www.smd.co.uk/news/view.php?id=35

Agro (fuels) in Barnsley

A planning application for a biofuel power station in Barnsley which had been
withdrawn has now been resubmitted.  The application, for a 7 MW power station,
is made by Rocpower, a subsidiary of Hargreaves Services, who are planning six
biofuel power stations, one of which has already been granted permission.
The company claims that they will use tall oil (a byproduct from paper production)
and vegetable oil ‘co-product’, a term used so widely that they could well argue
that types of soybean oil and palm oil qualify.  Furthermore, Rocpower have once
again submitted an older Environmental Review to the planning department in
Barnsley which refers to palm oil plans.
To find out more and to object to the planning application, please go to:
http://www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/barnsleyjan2010.php

Mainshill Solidarity Camp

Pre-Eviction Gathering! Sat 23rd to Tues 26th January

A long weekend of action, workshops and defence-building in preparation for the eviction of the Mainshill Solidarity Camp

Saturday 23rd to Tuesday 26th January, Mainshill Wood, South Lanarkshire



With the long-awaited and highly-anticipated eviction of the camp surely drawing closer, join us for the weekend (and as much time after that as

you can spare!) to add the finishing touches to defences, build new ones and fortify barricades. Ever wanted to build yourself a treehouse? Dig

yourself a tunnel? Make yourself a lock-on? Now is your chance!



We’re asking anyone who wants to be a part of stopping this open cast coal mine, anyone who wants to fight corporate greed, corrupt government

and the feudal land ownership, and anyone who wants to defend a community from the self-interest of the few, to come to the camp and

help us build a viable alternative to the destruction that will otherwise ensue.



Asking nicely has failed. Its time to fight back!



What to bring:



* Warm clothes and waterproofs

* Sleeping bag



Tasty vegan food will be provided, but bring any supplies you can. Any

building materials, tools, climbing equipment, bedding or anything on

our wish list you can spare please bring it along.



Directions –

http://coalactionscotland.noflag.org.uk/?page_id=415#How%20to%20Get%20There

http://mainshill.noflag.org.uk/

Haiti Solidarity

To support Haitian workers organisation Batay Ouvriye send cheques payable to "MAS/BO" to:
Miami Workers Center
6127 Northwest 7th Avenue
Miami, FL 33127-1111

CLIMATE CAMP REGIONAL GATHERING UP NORTH

Sunday 24th January 2010
11am
Bridge 5 Mill MERCI Ancoats - MANCHESTER

We hope that the following areas/neighbourhoods will be able to attend in some form:

Liverpool
Lancaster
Manchester
Hebden Bridge
Leeds
York
Newcastle
Nottingham
Sheffield
Bradford
and more

If you up for helping to facilitate a session, or have any agenda suggestions, please email them to manchester[at]climatecamp.org.uk by January 20th.

A travel pool will be available to help cover costs for people coming from further afield. Please book your tickets in advance if you can.

Dysophia and Shift Magazine have joined forces to put together a Climate Camp Reader, “Criticism without Critique”, published in January 2010. This reader hopes to encourage and faciliate debates at the next climate camp gatherings.

Earthfirst! Winter Moot 5th-7thfeb north-east england

EARTH FIRST! WINTER MOOT6pm Fri 5th - Sun 7th Feb 2010North-east England
"A weekend of networking, reflection, strategic discussions & campaign planning for anyone involved in ecological direct action who believes in non-hierarchical organisation and directly confronting the forces responsible for the destruction of the Earth and its inhabitants"

For enquiries, offers of facilitation & help, ideas for workshops and TO LET US KNOW YOU ARE COMING! email : wintermoot@earthfirst.org.uk
Further info, nearest train station, directions and location announcement will be up on our website nearer the time: http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/
More about the MootThe EF! Winter Moot is an opportunity for people who feel affiliation with the ideas behind Earth First! to network, discuss and reflect on the UK ecological direct action movement and to plan for the future.
Following a popular discussion at 2009's EF! Summer Gathering 2010's Moot also aims to hold discussions on the theme of "readying ourselves for unpredictability and instability in the UK and globally". The current & impending crises of economics, ecology, energy & society fundamentally alter the terrain of struggle; this in turn impacts both the practice and possibilities for a radical ecological movement.

2010's Winter Moot is to be held in County Durham, an area with a large number of opencast coal mines, both active and at the application stage. The weekend will include opportunities to meet with activists involved locally in campaigns against these.
Cost including vegan food & crash-pad accommodation £20-£30 (depending what you can afford-but please don't blag-even the organisers will pay).
If you have particular accommodation, access or dietary needs or are bringing children it would help us to know as soon as possible so we can plan suitable facilities; whoever you are please do try & drop us an email at least a week in advance so we can gauge how many to cater for.
http://www.earthfirst.org.uk/

Free Tadzio Mueller

Over the past week, tens of thousands of people from across the planet have taken to the streets of Copenhagen demanding real and just solutions to climate change. But on the streets, as well as inside the UN Climate Change Conference, delegates and ‘outsiders’ alike are doubting that the conference will reach a deal that isn’t a disaster for most of the world.

Inside the Bella Centre, where the UN delegates are meeting, numerous critical voices have been marginalised through technical and procedural manoeuvres. Others, like Friends of the Earth International, have had their accreditation revoked. Outside, the policing of protest has been consistently draconian and occasionally brutal.

On Saturday 12 December, almost 1,000 participants in a ‘Climate March’ through Copenhagen were arrested. On Monday 14 December, hundreds more were arrested at a party in the city’s Christiania district following a public meeting, addressed by Canadian journalist Naomi Klein and others. On Tuesday 15 December, Tadzio Mueller, a spokesperson for Climate Justice Action, was arrested by undercover police officers following a press conference at the Bella Centre.

This morning, on Wednesday 16 December, Tadzio appeared before a judge on a number of charges relating to his public support for today’s Reclaim Power demonstration. The declared aim of Reclaim Power – also supported by social movements, many conference delegates and other civil society actors – is to hold a People’s Assembly at the Bella Centre, to discuss real solutions to climate change. At this morning’s court hearing the judge decided to hold Tadzio for a further three days, after which he will reappear in court. There are reports that the hearing was closed to the public.

Meanwhile, hundreds more protesters have been arrested today and there have been numerous reports of police brutality and the extensive use of batons, pepper spray and tear gas. We have also heard of further arrests of individual activists by undercover police officers.

We, the undersigned, not only lend our support to those in Copenhagen seeking to push for real and just solutions to climate change, but also demand the following:
• The immediate release of Tadzio Mueller (video of arrest) and all other climate prisoners;
• A halt to the criminalisation and intimidation of activists, including the pre-emptive detaining of protesters in Copenhagen;
• The immediate re-instatement of accreditation withdrawn from NGOs and other critical voices at the Climate Summit

(This Open Letter was drafted by the editors of Turbulence: Ideas for Movement, of which Tadzio Mueller is an editor.)

Initial Signatories (name and affiliation):
• Ben Trott (Turbulence editor)
• David Harvie (Turbulence editor, University of Leicester)
• Michal Osterweil (Turbulence editor, US based lecturer, UNC Chapel Hill)
• Keir Milburn (Turbulence editor)
• Rodrigo Nunes (Turbulence editor)
• Kay Summer (Turbulence editor)
• Naomi Klein
• Katja Kipping (Member of the German Bundestag)
• Ulla Jelpke (Spokeswoman for internal affairs of the faction DIE LINKE in the Bundestag)
• Alexis Passadakis (Member of the Coordination Committee of Attac Germany)
• Dr. Simon Lewis (University of Leeds and UN accredited science advisor in COP15)
• Emma Dowling (Lecturer, University of London)
• Ingo Stützle (editor, ak - analyse & kritik)
• Zoe Young (writer and film maker)
• Friends of the Earth International

Incinerator projects dropping like flies

While the politicians have decided not to even pretend to try to keep global warming below 2 degrees, ordinary people are succesfully defeating waste incineration.

Recycling rates in the UK have been increasing by 3% per year
The Government and the incinerator industry has been pushing for new incinerators to be built, in some cases with PFI funding, in almost all cases with long contracts that will require waste & cash for 25 years or more.
Friends of the Earth's complete waste solution
There are still a lot of proposed projects
Friends of the Earth's UK waste page

Derby incinerator turned down at planning
Surrey dropping incineration
Luton dropping out of the waste PFI
Rufford (Sherwood Forest) inquiry adjourned until after Easter 2010
North Devon incinerator plans 'mothballed'
Tockwith, North Yorkshire
Telford and Wrekin Council unanimously reject Sita’s waste incinerator proposal
Sita withdraws Ernesettle plans
Oxfordshire – Sutton Courtenay and Ardley
(Indefinite?) delays in Hull
Invergordon
Dunbar proposals defeated -
Cornwall planning victory (to be followed by a victory at the public inquiry next year?!)
Cardiff incinerator plan dropped

As a result of this, DEFRA’s list of PFI projects only has 2 projects left for approval with Hull, Derby and Dorset leaving the list in the last few days. Also many approved PFIs are still not built

Keep Metro Public (KMP)

The Keep Metro Public campaign intend to turn to passenger organsing after councillors on the Passenger Transport Authority decided to sell the Metro to German State company Deutsche Bahn. It is the jobs that are being sold; not the trains or track. They had a demonstration on Thursday the 17th of December at Central Station but went and stood outside when management told them to.

Bike Park Barricaded

A new border between Newcastle's safest and only public indoor bike park and the Toon has been installed at Central Station. The bike park is now only accessible to passengers with a train ticket due to the new ticket barriers. The bike park was popular with visitors to the city centre and with Metro passengers. This new attack on cycling will increase the revenue from the cities many car parks, while bikes are forced to rust outdoors.
Central Station Management said: "It's because of Terrorism".
Central Station Security said: "It's because it's Private Property. I agree it should be Nationalised but it will still be Private Property".

Open Casting

Durham County Council planners have nodded through UK Coal's plans to create artificial ponds for newts that already live in existing ponds which the developer intends to destroy. This is the start of the attempted open cast coal mining of the Pont Valley. UK Coal say they intend to start work on the ponds in early January. This work is strongly opposed by the local community.
Pont Valley Network

The Hexham Courant reports that Northumberland County Council’s planning and environment committee has thrown out HM Project Developments Ltd application to opencast 140,000 tonnes of coal 50 metres from residents’ homes in Halton Lea Gate.

Whittonstall
Wolsingham residents against the coal depot

COP 15

Climate scientist James Hansen said that it would be desirable for the Copenhagen climate conference to not reach a deal, since what they advertise as solutions are in fact attempts to "continue business as usual". The Guardian website's report shows that the Guardian is funded by Shell, but Dr Hanson is correct on this. The rich bastard unfortunately does support nuclear power. Fuck them and their system!
Never Trust a COP!

Sat 12th Dec 18:30
Avaaz Candlelight Vigil
For a Real Deal in Copenhagen
Newcastle quayside, opposite the 'Slug and Lettuce'
Follow the link for a map and zoom in on Newcastle to register with the "Northern Lights" event!
Would be great to see a good turnout, giving a strong message that 'we the people' are serious in our desire to see the world leaders agree a strong and binding climate deal.
Please bring along candles, although some will be provided, and we will take turns in reading a short speech, which will be filmed, to the world leaders in Copenhagen. The lovely people at Avaaz will then take videos from vigils this all over the world and turn them into an undeniable message of intent. After all, the politicians work for us.
Any homemade posters, signs or performance pieces will be a bonus!
The Candelight vigil will last around an hour, enough time for us to get organised, read a short speech, video the gathering and take some photos. After which it is a short walk to the Ouseburn to enjoy a well deserved drink!
There is a set speech here but anyone who wishes to say something in particular feel free!

Camp Out Cop Out
At 4pm on Saturday, following The Wave of 40,000 concerned individuals, Climate Camp went further and occupied Trafalgar Square successfully for the planned 48 hours. However, with the doomed Copenhagen Climate Conference only just beginning its two week corporate sponsored farce, we're now not going anywhere.
The Camp will hold the space for the entire conference, reclaiming one the busiest locations in the world to push for genuine solutions to climate change. So, if you're not off to Copenhagen then this is the place you need to be. Bring your tent, warm clothes, and ideas for action!
When the tripods first shot up and the rocket stoves got burning, it wasn't long before the actions started rolling. Prior to the talks beginning, 20 Santas took over the departure lounge at London City Airport as the last flights of hypocrisy left for Copenhagen. Then on Monday, with the summit beginning, activists blockaded the European Carbon Exchange offices sending a clear message that the false solutions on the table will be stopped every step of the way. Meanwhile campers continued cooking, discussing, and plotting as requests to leave were ignored.
Surrounded by opportunity, the camp is preparing for our two week stay. We are the Christmas present under the square's enormous tree this year, already working well with community groups to collectively push for climate justice during this season of festivity. Those of us remaining in the UK need to demonstrate we are not simply sitting back and letting our "leaders" tear apart the planet, but are enacting the change we need ourselves. But this will only succeed if everyone gets involved for as little or as long as they can.
What to bring:
Simple. Just a tent, warm and waterproof clothes. Oh, and all your friends!
Wish list:
Vegan food, blankets, tarps, pallets, party/frame tents, cardboard, banners, big water bottles + anything else you think may be helpful...
We look forward to greeting you with a hot cup of tea.
Much love,
The Climate Camp Trafalgar Crew xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mainshill Eviction Alert

This morning the process to evict Mainshill Solidarity Camp began. Members of the National Eviction Team, along with police climbers, are currently on site, walking around taking pictures. At the moment there are about 10 police/eviction team on site.
Residents of the camp are asking for anyone who is able to go to site as soon as possible to boost numbers and strengthen the camps position.
Mainshill Solidarity Camp

NPower Defeated, EDF and NATO targetted

RWE NPower have shelved their plans for the proposed coal fired power station in Cambois, Blyth!
But the BBC report that Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has approved 10 sites in England and Wales for new nuclear power stations. These would require subsidies from taxation, the imposition of a tax on CO2 emissions and no tax on radiation emissions, radioactive waste or the risk of disasters.
The NATO Welcoming Committee have reminded us of the environmental cost of war in the run up to this weekends Parliamentary Assembly in Edinburgh.
Free Joe Glenton!

Transition Towns

Heaton transition towns festival
Newcastle
Sat 28th November

Mainshill Solidarity Camp

Work has started at Mainshill, where Scottish Coal want a new coal mine but the community does not. Huge areas of plantation are being felled and JCBs have moved in. The Solidarity Camp has been doing its best to stop work on the site (video), but now we need your support and solidarity to win this fight against Scottish Coal, Lord Home and South Lanarkshire Council!
Building – Workshops – Action
Saturday 13st October, 1pm: A walk of the area with people from surrounding and affected communities, visiting areas that have been destroyed by Scottish Coal and areas that we can still save. A discussion on the campaign so far and where we can take it will follow.
Climbing, treehouse building and tunneling workshops
A “work day” to build the Solidarity Camp some new defences
Evening camp-fire entertainmentPlenty of chances to stop a beautiful area of Scotland’s countryside from being turned into an opencast coal mine
What to bring:
Warm clothes and water-proofs, a tent, sleeping bag and matAny food, building materials and tools you canMost importantly, bring yourself and your friends
mainshill@riseup.net
07806926040
Website