Manchester climate activists join global day of action

Article published: Monday, September 26th 2011

Environmental activists staged a rooftop protest in the city centre on Saturday morning as part of a global  day of action against reliance on fossil fuels, hanging a huge banner from the top of Shudehill multi-storey car park. The banner – five metres high and 20 metres long – read ‘Climate Change Kills’; a message to Downing Street from the Manchester branch of the World Development Movement (WDM).

The car park was chosen for its position in front of Manchester’s CIS Tower, home since 2005 to the UK’s largest solar power project. WDM Manchester spokesperson Stephen Pennells described the action as a “celebration” of the unique installation, but also an urgent call for more like it. “We’re calling on everybody, but particularly governments, to move from fossil fuels”, he said. “We want to see David Cameron live up to his promise of running ‘the greenest government ever’.”

The WDM’s main focus as to global warming is as a problem most acutely affecting the least developed societies, Pennells explained. “We want climate justice now,” he said. “We shouldn’t be giving money for green developments through World Bank loans and making the poorest countries poorer. I can’t see that we’re going to help people by giving the poorest nations more debt.” He promised a “mass vigil” highlighting these issues when Manchester hosts the Conservative party conference next Saturday, urging Mancunians “to support this, and to carry on pressing the issue of climate change.”

Vincent Walsh, secretary of the Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign, attended the banner’s unfurling. He praised extension plans for the city’s Metrolink service, but criticised Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA)’s continued prohibition of bicycles onboard the trams. “We would like to see it made easier for cyclists to move across the city,” he said. “I want to promote cycling in terms of public health and climate change. Even on a rainy day in Manchester, you can’t beat a bike.”

The event was timed to coincide with Moving Planet day, a worldwide initiative by the green lobbyist group 350.org to press governments to act on rising greenhouse gas emissions. The campaign wants atmospheric carbon dioxide levels brought down from the current 391 parts per million to what they argue is a more sustainable 350 parts per million.

In Ancoats, sustainability campaign group MERCi hosted an afternoon of eco-friendly workshops at their headquarters in Bridge 5 Mill. The session included classes on bicycle maintenance and energy efficiency in the home along with demonstrations of clean hydrogen technology by Mike Koefman, director of the organisation Planet Hydrogen, and physicists from the University of Manchester. Participants cycled to the venue from the city centre, with prizes given for the best decorated bicycles.

Learning coordinator Katie Brandon said: “We want to help people live in a more climate-friendly way. People have lost a lot of those skills that make them self-reliant; everyday, useful things such as fixing their own bike. ‘The whole idea of today is getting people to move past fossil fuels”, she explained, “so here our exhibitions are about energy saving advice. It’s difficult to get people interested, but we’ll keep on plugging away.”

Moving Planet day events elsewhere in the world included tree planting in Jordan, sustainable product design contests in India, and eco-friendly picnics in Canada.

Dave Doyle

For more information on local events forming part of the global 350.org campaign, visit the group’s website at www.350.org.

Tweet

More: Environment, News

Comments

1. […] Read the whole story here and WDM South Manchester’s blog post here. // Posted in Climate Justice, Local, News | View Comments blog comments powered by Disqus var disqus_url = 'http://groups.wdm.org.uk/manchestercentral/2011/09/27/banner-drop-at-shudehill/ '; var disqus_identifier = '42 http://groups.wdm.org.uk/manchestercentral/?p=42'; var disqus_container_id = 'disqus_thread'; var disqus_domain = 'disqus.com'; var disqus_shortname = 'wdmgroups'; var disqus_title = "Banner drop at Shudehill"; var disqus_config = function () { var config = this; // Access to the config object /* All currently supported events: * preData — fires just before we request for initial data * preInit – fires after we get initial data but before we load any dependencies * onInit – fires when all dependencies are resolved but before dtpl template is rendered * afterRender – fires when template is rendered but before we show it * onReady – everything is done */ config.callbacks.preData.push(function() { // clear out the container (its filled for SEO/legacy purposes) document.getElementById(disqus_container_id).innerHTML = ''; }); config.callbacks.onReady.push(function() { // sync comments in the background so we don't block the page DISQUS.request.get('?cf_action=sync_comments&post_id=42'); }); }; var facebookXdReceiverPath = 'http://groups.wdm.org.uk/manchestercentral/wp-content/plugins/disqus-comment-system/xd_receiver.htm'; var DsqLocal = { 'trackbacks': [ ], 'trackback_url': "http://groups.wdm.org.uk/manchestercentral/2011/09/27/banner-drop-at-shudehill/trackback/" }; (function() { var dsq = document.createElement('script'); dsq.type = 'text/javascript'; dsq.async = true; dsq.src = 'http://' + disqus_shortname + '.' + disqus_domain + '/embed.js?pname=wordpress&pver=2.50'; (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(dsq); })(); […]

   Pingback by WDM Manchester Central » Blog Archive » Banner drop at Shudehill on September 27, 2011 at 9:57 am

2. Ah, the CIS tower.

   Part of the Co-op.

   That’d be the same Co-op which runs a large high street travel agency and also a car dealership.

   Trip to Australia or a nice new 4×4 sir?

   Do a few solar panels offset these activities?

   Comment by simon on September 28, 2011 at 1:07 pm

3. […] post: Manchester climate activists join global day of action — MULE […]

   Pingback by Manchester climate activists join global day of action — MULE | my Manchester News on November 10, 2011 at 9:07 am

4. I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your blog. It’s a very
   easy on the eyes which makes it much more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often.
   Did you hire out a designer to create your theme?
   Outstanding work!

   Comment by GenF20 Plus Reviews on January 30, 2013 at 12:53 pm

The comments are closed.