SUSO

In years to come, one unexceptional field in northern Kent may be remembered as a critical site in the history of a movement which changed our world for the better.

W / Olly Zanetti

With its usual inhabitants - some sheep - herded safely out of the way, the field was host to this year’s Camp for Climate Action. For a week in August, around 2,000 people from the UK and beyond congregated to voice their objection to the construction of a new coal fired power station at Kingsnorth, only a couple of miles away.

A policy of ‘out with the old, and back in with the old’ seems to be the thinking at E.ON, the German energy giant and owner of the site. There is already a coal power station at Kingsnorth, though it must close by 2015 due to EU emissions rules. Undeniably, what’ll come out of the proposed plant’s flues will be cleaner in some ways, but it will still emit climate busting CO2 – 8.4 million tonnes of the stuff every year to be exact. Worse, if the government gets its way, it won’t end there. Kingsnorth will be the first of seven such power stations which, if built, will see that CO2 figure pushed up to around 50 million tonnes a year.

“It’s insane,” says Jenny, a first time campaigner, “the government has committed us to reduce CO2 output by 80 per cent before 2050. If these power plants are built, this’ll be near impossible. If sea levels rise, Kingsnorth’ll be under water. Climate change isn’t a secret, and renewable energy’s not new, so what the fuck’s the government doing even considering this thing?”

The Camp, now in its third year, came about as activists grew tired of the standard issue greenwash trotted out in response to mainstream environmental campaigns. Its target changes every time; the first camp having been at the Drax power plant in Yorkshire, the next on the site of the proposed second runway at Heathrow. The tired Swampy stereotypes banded about by the tabloids should be taken with a (large) pinch of salt too – the Climate Campers are intelligent, articulate people, determined to make a difference. Climate change issues are discussed in the daily workshops, discussion forums, and film screenings, and campers are up-to-date with the latest scientific thinking.

Self-centred political apathy is supposedly a hallmark of our generation. But in an era when personality not policy wins elections, it’s no surprise that we sidestep the mainstream. The right to non-violent direct action, a central principle of the Camp, is seen as a serious threat by the establishment. As another campaigner, Lily, observes, “The police response to the whole camp was totally disproportionate. There were numerous examples of political policing designed to prevent peaceful and legitimate protest.”

In spite of this, the camp went ahead as planned. On the final Saturday, direct actions from land and water successfully interrupted the power station’s normal operations. Meanwhile, 1,000 campaigners marched to the gates with banners. Perhaps the government will see sense. But if, instead, they prefer to destroy our climate, arm-in-arm with big business, the campers will be back to stop them. A rolling blockade of the site will prevent construction. They are resolute: “That power station will not be built.”

www.climatecamp.org.uk