Supply + Demand: two days of climate action against fracking and new gas infrastructure
What: Two days of resistance and direct action to disrupt the fracking supply chain and new gas infrastructure
When: Friday 22nd – Saturday 23rd February 2019
Where: Locations across the UK
Who: Environmental, anti-fracking and grassroot groups across the UK including Reclaim the Power, Fuel Poverty Action, Frack Free Leeds and Preston New Road crews.
Click here to add your group’s name here.
The UK anti-fracking movement is widespread, well-organised and successfully holding back the onslaught of the shale gas industry. Now, bigger energy firms plan to build new gas-fired power stations which will cause a surge in the demand for fracked gas across the UK. Meanwhile, thousands of people are freezing in their homes whilst the Big Six energy giants profit from higher bills. It’s time to expose the web of fossil gas interests that are ripping us off and sending us on a path to climate breakdown.
The fracking supply chain
Fracking companies don’t exist in isolation. For the industry to survive they need access to our land, our water and our sand. It needs its drills, diggers and lorries. It needs money, spin-doctors and politicians in its pockets. British Gas for example, have poured £27 million into fracking company Cuadrilla. Mining companies like Sibelco plan to quarry in Cheshire and East Anglia to provide sand for the fracking process.
New gas demand
In the 2000s, the climate justice
movement successfully stopped new coal-fired power stations from being
built. Existing coal units will be phased out by 2025. Now, the fossil
fuel industry is positioning gas as the solution to our energy needs.
Drax power station in Yorkshire, for example, wants to convert its old
coal-fired units into gas units. This will create a new market for
fracked gas in the UK, locking us into decades of greenhouse gas
emissions and blowing our climate targets. We are paying for these dangerous fossil fuel investments in through our high consumer bills.
Organise an Action Find a Location
We demand:
- Clean, affordable and publicly-owned energy in warm, well-insulated homes.
- A just transition away from fossil gas – that puts workers in polluting industries at the centre of the conversation.
- An immediate end to fracking
How to get involved:
- Find a local demo near you from the list below.
- Organise your own demo or action. Check out our guide to organising an action.
- Sign up to our email updates below to find out more information.
- Join the Introduction Call on Thursday 10th January at 7pm to find out more. Details here.
- Share this webpage and the Facebook event.
Confirmed Actions
Centrica and British Gas – Stop Funding Fracking! (London area)
Location: Centrica HQ, Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor SL4 5GD
Date: Friday 22nd February 2019
Time: 11am – 12.30pm
London Reclaim the Power and friends at Fuel Poverty Action will come together on Friday 22nd February to put the spotlight on Centrica – the multinational company that owns British Gas – and their major investments in Cuadrilla. When huge corporations like Centrica fund fracking, they’re not just content with fuelling climate breakdown, they’re backing an energy source that keeps energy bills high and means more people going cold – or not eating. This colourful direct action will expose the links between finance, fracking and fuel poverty.
More information on the Facebook event page.
SSE: Less Gas, More Wind! (Bristol)
Location: SSE Bristol Offices, Victoria Rd, St Phillips Marsh, Bristol BS2 0TD
Date: Friday 22nd February 2019
Time: 1pm – 3pm
Join Bristol Rising Tide and friends for a national family-friendly day of action against fracking and new gas infrastructure. SSE are one of the UK’s ‘Big Six’ energy companies and are planning to build new gas-fired power stations at Keadby 2 (Lincolnshire – already under construction), Abernedd (South Wales) and Ferrybridge D (West Yorkshire). There will be food, music and games to keep us entertained, whilst we demand to speak to an SSE boss to let them know that new gas isn’t necessary!
More information on the Facebook event page.
HSBC – Stop Funding Destruction (Manchester)
Location: HSBC, 2-4 St Ann’s Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 7HD
Date: Friday 22nd February 2019
Time: 1.10pm – 2.10pm
PROTEST HSBC FUNDING OF FRACKING
HSBC is among the world’s largest financiers of the fossil fuel
industry. it funds fracking projects around the world, from the UK to
Algeria. Fracking is not a solution to our energy needs. It causes huge
detriment to land, air and water, and rides roughshod over the rights of
local communities. In the past 6 months,HSBC has more than doubled its
share in Igas to 11%, a company attempting to
drill for shale gas in the UK. In additon Cuadrilla, who are attempting to frack in Lancashire, bank with HSBC.
NB – Either meet with us at FridaysForFuture (rear of Town Hall Manchester) and at 1.00 pm walk to HSBC in St Anne’s Square or meet in the Square at about 1.10 pm. Bring banners, placards and YOURSELF.
Family-friendly HSBC demo (Leeds)
Location: HSBC, 33 Park Row, Leeds LS1 1LD
Date: Friday 22nd February 2019
Time: 12pm
Fun family-friendly demo with speakers from local groups, good music, creative direct action, and more..
Family-friendly HSBC demo (Cambridge)
Location: HSBC, 63-64 St Andrew’s St, Cambridge CB2 3BZ
Date: Friday 22nd February 2019
Time: 12.30pm