We were delighted to take part in the International Day of Action Against Big Biomass on the 19th October. We were part of a network of over 200 NGOs globally taking action to highlight the negative environmental and social impacts of large scale biomass energy.
Actions took place across the globe, from here in the UK to Japan, Germany, the US and Finland amongst others. Activists all around the world called for an end to the dirty tree burning industry.
Here in the UK actions took place in York, Liverpool and London targeting Barclays for its role in bankrolling Drax. In London, Extinction Rebellion samba drummers, activists from the Stop Burning Trees Coalition, Biofuelwatch, Christian Climate Action and trade unionists amongst others gathered with banners and music to call on Barclays to cut all ties with Drax.
In York, members of Extinction Rebellion York, Axe Drax, the Stop Burning Trees Coalition, Global Justice York, Friends of the Earth York, Friends of the Earth Hull and others gathered with banners and flags to call for an end to the wood biomass industry and for banks to stop supporting Drax.
In Liverpool a number of people handed out leaflets and held banners and placards with representatives from Extinction Rebellion, Biofuelwatch, Christian Climate Action, For Trees Wirral and Liverpool Friends of the Earth. Liverpool Socialist Singers were also in attendance and led the singing of ‘Hit The Road Drax’ and a Drax themed version of ‘Money Money Money’.
We also hosted a webinar on the day focussing on the EU’s three largest pulp and paper-producing countries: Sweden, Finland and Portugal, you can watch it here if you missed it. On the 12th October we hosted a webinar which aimed to centre front line voices talking about the negative impacts of the biomass industry. We heard from Dr Treva Gear from Dogwood Alliance, Michelle Connolly from Conservation North, and Len Vanderstar and Jay Gilden from Smithers in British Columbia. If you missed this you can watch it again here.
Thank you everyone who took part in our actions in person, online or contacted your MP to support an end to all subsidies for burning wood in power stations.