Difference between revisions of "Extinction Rebellion"

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XR also has a set of [https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/about-us/ principles], including avoiding blaming and shaming, and non-violence.
 
XR also has a set of [https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/about-us/ principles], including avoiding blaming and shaming, and non-violence.
 
== Not Experts ==
 
XR differs from most environmentalist movements in declaring that they are not experts: "XR does not take a position on solutions to the ecological crisis - our third demand is for a Citizens Assembly to come up with a way to deal with the crisis focussing on climate and ecological justice based on being presented with facts from a variety of experts"<ref>
 
Section 3. Strategy / "What does XR think about 5G, Veganism, Nuclear power, smart meters and so on?", from
 
[https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/faqs/ Extinction Rebellion FAQs]
 
</ref>. However high-profile XR spokespeople such as Gail Bradbrook and Rupert Read have publicly expressed anti-nuclear opinions.
 
  
 
== The three demands ==
 
== The three demands ==
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The third demand - "Beyond Politics" and the demand for Citizens' Assemblies - is based on the observation that existing governmental systems around the world have failed to produce effective action on climate change and other boundary problems. The idea of a CA is that it should be able to take a position independent of the current government and the exigencies of party politics and mandate action commensurate with the urgency and magnitude of the problems.
 
The third demand - "Beyond Politics" and the demand for Citizens' Assemblies - is based on the observation that existing governmental systems around the world have failed to produce effective action on climate change and other boundary problems. The idea of a CA is that it should be able to take a position independent of the current government and the exigencies of party politics and mandate action commensurate with the urgency and magnitude of the problems.
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== Not Experts ==
 +
 +
In keeping with their demand for Citizens' Assemblies to decide on solutions to environmental problems, and unlike most environmentalist organisations such as Greenpeace, FoE and Green Parties, XR declares that it "does not take a position on solutions to the ecological crisis - our third demand is for a Citizens Assembly to come up with a way to deal with the crisis focussing on climate and ecological justice based on being presented with facts from a variety of experts"<ref>
 +
Section 3. Strategy / "What does XR think about 5G, Veganism, Nuclear power, smart meters and so on?", from
 +
[https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/faqs/ Extinction Rebellion FAQs]
 +
</ref>. However high-profile XR spokespeople such as Gail Bradbrook and Rupert Read have publicly expressed anti-nuclear opinions<ref>
 +
"BEIS Strategy Committee question Extinction Rebellion";
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[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II7DHI24PTE Extinction Rebellion / YouTube];
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18 Jun 2019
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</ref> and Read also opposes genetic engineering<ref>
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''See:''
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"Shed A Light: Rupert Read – This civilisation is finished: so what is to be done?",
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[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzCxFPzdO0Y Churchill College, University of Cambridge],
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9 Nov 2018,
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''although note that in this talk Read does not present himself as a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.''
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</ref>.
  
 
== November 2018 London bridges action ==
 
== November 2018 London bridges action ==
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=== misc ===
 
=== misc ===
  
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II7DHI24PTE BEIS Strategy Committee question Extinction Rebellion] Extinction Rebellion; YouTube; 18 Jun 2019
 
: Following the Prime Minister’s commitment to the UK cutting carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and the publication of the Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) report, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee examine the rationale for going faster to hit the net zero target, hearing from witnesses including Gail Bradbrook, Extinction Rebellion, Isabella O'Dowd, Climate and Energy Specialist, WWF, and Baroness Bryony Worthington, Environmental Defense Fund.
 
 
: The session tests whether the CCC’s net zero advice, and the draft net zero legislation laid by the Prime Minister, go far enough to fulfil the UK’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and to protect our environment for current and future generations.  It also scrutinises the rationale for, and feasibility of, alternative targets proposed by environmental organisations.
 
 
: On Wednesday 8th May, the BEIS Committee questioned the CCC and business stakeholders on the net zero target and actions needed to achieve net zero emissions. A hearing on net zero with a Government Minister will be scheduled for a later date.
 
  
: The hearings are part of the Committee’s ongoing work on the Clean Growth Strategy and complement its current inquiries on financing energy infrastructure and on energy efficiency. The Committee has also carried out inquiries on Carbon Capture Usage and Storage and on Electric Vehicles.
 
  
 
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_Rebellion Wikipedia]
 
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_Rebellion Wikipedia]

Revision as of 03:47, 26 November 2019

Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a movement dedicated to pressing governments to take effective action on climate change, biodiversity loss and other boundaries of human existence on Earth. According to XR co-founder Roger Hallam[1] a key part of their strategy is to mobilise a significant proportion - around 3.5% - of the population in Non-Violent Civil Disobedience disrupting capital cities, based on the work of Erica Chenoweth and others.[2]

XR's pink boat in Oxford Circus in April 2019

XR has three stated demands:

  1. Tell The Truth
    Government should tell the truth, by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, and working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change,
  2. Act Now
    to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025,
  3. Beyond Politics
    create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice

XR in the US also has a fourth demand, regarding global justice. In the UK there have been discussions on whether to adopt such a demand, with some opposing it because they think it would make XR look more politically left-wing and jeopardise support from political conservatives.

XR also has a set of principles, including avoiding blaming and shaming, and non-violence.

The three demands

The first demand - to Tell The Truth - is sometimes referenced within XR as a moral obligation for activists to discover and own their own truths, for example to acknowledge various forms of (especially middle-class and white) privilege, and the impact of one's personal lifestyle choices on our fellow-global-citizens.

The second - to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025 - has been the subject of some scepticism. There doesn't seem to be any support for it as a realistic target amongst energy and economics experts, and at XR presentations it has sometimes been justified as a negotiating position rather than a realistic target, although it has also been presented as an ambition which might be achieved through a mobilisation of effort comparable to that of World War II.

The third demand - "Beyond Politics" and the demand for Citizens' Assemblies - is based on the observation that existing governmental systems around the world have failed to produce effective action on climate change and other boundary problems. The idea of a CA is that it should be able to take a position independent of the current government and the exigencies of party politics and mandate action commensurate with the urgency and magnitude of the problems.

Not Experts

In keeping with their demand for Citizens' Assemblies to decide on solutions to environmental problems, and unlike most environmentalist organisations such as Greenpeace, FoE and Green Parties, XR declares that it "does not take a position on solutions to the ecological crisis - our third demand is for a Citizens Assembly to come up with a way to deal with the crisis focussing on climate and ecological justice based on being presented with facts from a variety of experts"[3]. However high-profile XR spokespeople such as Gail Bradbrook and Rupert Read have publicly expressed anti-nuclear opinions[4] and Read also opposes genetic engineering[5].

November 2018 London bridges action

Life inside Extinction Rebellion: 'We can't get arrested quick enough' Bruno Rinvolucri; The Guardian/YouTube; 22 Nov 2018

April 2019 London action

Extinction Rebellion ​'shutdown' London Bruno Rinvolucri; The Guardian/YouTube; 17 Apr 2019

Public response

Analysis of public opinion in response to the Extinction Rebellion actions in London, April 2019 Ben Kenward; ; 20 Apr 2019

In advance of the Extinction Rebellion actions in London, April 2019, Dr. Cameron Brick (Cambridge University) and Dr. Ben Kenward (Oxford Brookes University) created a survey to assess the response of the general public to the actions.
At the point at which the rebellion had not yet begun to target dedicated public transport infrastructure, it had more support than opposition from the UK public.

Strategy

Findings from conversation with Erica Chenoweth on 16.4.19 Google doc

Below is a summary of a half hour conversation a Rebel had with Erica on Day 2 of IR

misc

Wikipedia

Extinction Rebellion website

Footnotes and References

  1. "Non-Violent Direct Action", Roger Hallam, Extinction Rebellion / YouTube, 3 Mar 2019
  2. "The success of nonviolent civil resistance", Erica Chenoweth, TEDxBoulder / YouTube, 4 Nov 2013
  3. Section 3. Strategy / "What does XR think about 5G, Veganism, Nuclear power, smart meters and so on?", from Extinction Rebellion FAQs
  4. "BEIS Strategy Committee question Extinction Rebellion"; Extinction Rebellion / YouTube; 18 Jun 2019
  5. See: "Shed A Light: Rupert Read – This civilisation is finished: so what is to be done?", Churchill College, University of Cambridge, 9 Nov 2018, although note that in this talk Read does not present himself as a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.