By Isle of Wight Observer
Extinction Rebellion and Green Party spokesperson, Dr Rupert Read, addressed a lively audience in East Cowes at the weekend, urging members of the audience to take action to tackle the climate and ecological Emergency.
“Fossil fuels are going to destroy us unless we do something really extraordinary,” he said.
“In the few years since 1990 we have doubled the carbon emissions from human activity. It is a time bomb going off, with no effective plan to stop it. Right now Australia is burning, the Amazon is being destroyed: the climate emergency will define our lives and our children’s lives. We must look it in the eye and do much more. We need to be prepared to take non-violent direct action.”
Dr Read heard of the work of Frack Free Isle of Wight and their opposition to the planned oil-drilling in the Arreton valley.
“It is criminally and clinically insane at this moment to be prospecting for fossil fuels. It’s disgusting and must be opposed vigorously” he said.
The talk concluded on a positive note, about how working together we can achieve so much more. He urged islanders to join the Autumn Rebellion in London, and also to work toward greater Green representation in Parliament.
The Global Strike for Climate is taking place Friday, September 20 and campaigners will be assembling from 11am in St Thomas’s Square, Newport.
Isle of Wight Observer