Extinction Rebellion, the activist group, on Tuesday threatened the government with “unprecedented” civil disobedience unless it stops supporting the fossil fuel industry ahead of what is expected to be the UK’s largest ever climate protest.
A coalition of more than 40 environmental groups, including XR and Greenpeace, called for ministers to stop issuing new licenses and approvals for oil, coal and gas projects and set up emergency citizens’ assemblies to “let the people decide how to end the fossil fuel era quickly and fairly”.
XR, the event organiser, said 30,000 people are due to descend on the capital this weekend for the four-day climate protest involving almost 200 environmental and social justice groups.
The ultimatum follows raised concerns over the UK’s commitment to tackle climate change after the government admitted last month its new net zero strategy will fail to cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to hit its own targets.
Three generations of the same family delivered the “fresh demands”, saying it had until 5pm on Monday 24 to respond or their campaign would be stepped up “in new and inventive ways”.
Hester Campbell, 43, a mother who delivered the demands with her two children and her father, said: “The government is failing in its duty to protect us and we are calling for that to end.”
An escalation of action could include activists joining the picket lines of striking workers. The UK is currently grappling with the biggest wave of public sector strikes for a generation over pay and working conditions.
Rob Callender of XR said that if the government failed to respond by the deadline, XR would design a “plan for the greatest acts of civil disobedience in this country’s history”.
The demands come four months after XR said it was quitting its focus on civil disruption and switching to building alliances with other organisations in a bid to unite as many people as possible.
Callender said that since its announcement in January the government had “made policy announcements that effectively double down on deadly climate chaos”, such as backing new oil and gas drilling projects in the North Sea.
“This is their last chance to show us that they are serious about saving our lives and our futures by agreeing to enter negotiations around our demands,” Callender added.
The so-called “Big One” event will coincide with the London marathon on Sunday with XR warning of “logistical disruptions” across the city during the action.
A spokesperson for XR said the protest, which begins on Friday and billed to be peaceful and non-disruptive, is expected to be larger than those in 2019 which sought to bring London to a standstill.
“It is going to be nice and busy but it is not intentional disruption in the way you have seen from XR in the past,” said XR’s Marijn van de Geer.
Austin Harney from the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents civil servants and employees in the commercial sectors, said it was important that “workers stand in solidarity” on fighting climate change.
War on Want and Equity, the unions for performing arts and entertainment workers, are among the groups who have also backed the demands.
