Climate Camp Against Kingsnorth.

Energy company, e.on, are planning to build a massive new coal burning power station at Kingsnorth in Kent. If the government gives approval for this development it will produce as much CO2 as Ghana and skuttle any chances of reaching even the government's limited plans to cut carbon emissions and limit climate change. It could also give a disastrous green light for a whole new generation of coal fired power stations.
Among the thousands of people who joined the nearby Climate Camp to protest at this lunacy were activists from Transition Town Totnes.

Pregnant protestor at Kingsnorth. The message reads 'For My Future'.

Life at the Climate Camp.

There are hundreds of tents in all directions, dozens of marquees for workshops, legal services, the media, heathcare, camp organisation, a welcome tent for new arrivals and food tents for each of the dozen or so 'neighbourhoods'. Banks of solar panels and a wind turbine provide electricity, activists line up outside compost toilets, waterpipes snake across the site and makeshift signs direct newcomers. Welcome to Climate Camp 2008 and, once you have run the gauntlet of police designed to deter this extremely peaceful protest, the welcome is a warm one.

Chris Bird said, "I was stunned by the excellent organisation of the camp and the protests and by the committment of the thousands of people who took part. The behaviour of the police has been well documented in the media and on the Clmate Camp website but my lasting impression of the site will be of warmth, friendship, creativity and optimism that we can do something to cut carbon emissions and limit climate change.

"Several hundred debates, workshops and training sessions were held during the week long camp, Activists divided into groups according to the type of protest they were willing to undertake - blue group attempted to enter the power station from the River Medway, Green by land and Silver from the air (cancelled because of high winds), while the Orange group was lead to the gates of Kingsnorth by a giant Dragon made by children.

"The protest generated enormous publicity despite competition from the Olympics and the war in Georgia and involved many local people in climate change protests for the first time. Speakers from the local campaign against Kingsnorth promised that the fight will continue until e.on drops plans for the new power station.

Transition Town Workshop 

Hal Gilmore ran a workshop on 'Setting up a transition town'. He said, "the Transition Town movement seemed well regarded by camp organisers and most people I spoke to.” This was reflected in the fact that Hal was allocated ‘The Big Space’ for the workshop and Transition Towns were also cited in the camp programme as one of the key ways to take action after the camp.

Over 40 activists took part in the workshop which was very well received. “We sold as many handbooks as I could get over the barricades, through the police searches and past the flash floods and thunderstorms!” said Hal. "I felt people in the workshop were swinging between the 'collapse' and 'techno-fix' mindset - the whole camp was designed around powerdown principles but people didn't seem to be considering it in the same way as we do."

Hal was quite surprised that the idea of inner transition seemed new to all who attended the workshop. “I think there is a really valuable input the Transition Network's approach to training and awareness raising can offer this campaign.  I would be keen to do more of it if anyone else is up for being involved.”

Perhaps the most significant development at the camp was the passing of a resolution that they will not allow the new Kingsnorth station to be built. This could well be the start of a campaign of direct action against government plans to build a new generation of coal fired power stations, a focus for regular direct actions not seen since road protests in early/mid 90s ultimately led to a major scale down of government road building policy. This would undoubtedly raise the profile of climate change even further and create new opportunities to spread the positive Transition Town message.

Local campaigning

Simone Wilkie said, "This year during my stay at the Climate Camp I spent a large proportion of my time in Hoo, the adjoining village to Kingsnorth, cold calling on residents with a local councillor.
We were armed with smiles and leaflets highlighting the pitfalls facing residents and the UK if Kingsnorth power station went ahead with its proposal to enlarge its operation.
Despite the fact that a large proportion of residents actually worked or had worked at the power station, on the whole we were met with friendliness and enthusiasm for our cause. Many residents joined us on the march on the Saturday.

Local resident talks with campaigners at the climate camp.

Reading the local papers on the lead up to the day of action, local opinion of the Climate Camp was largely very favourable. In one paper - The Medway News - we were called 'campers' and had our site described as an 'eco-village'.
How does this fit into the paradigm of Transition Town?
I don't know exactly. But to me I felt that some hearts and minds were opened during those days. Minds of people who seemed to be new to the idea of not having to accept the inevitable."

Being a part of it.

Hannah Mulder said, "What I found particularly interesting was the coming together of so many different potential responses and attitudes towards our current addiction to fossil fuels and the embracing of those varying ways of negotiating the crisis. There was hearty debate but that wasn't viewed as a problem, rather a strength and that in the face of such an overwhelming issue the conversation and welcoming of difference was essential. I loved the fact that this was both a place of learning and meeting one another, a place of protest and also a miniature flowering of what could be possible, with the temporary creation of a village in those few fields, with it's own systems of organisation.

Searching for a job that needed doing I spent the Saturday evening, after the day of protest, loading dozens of wheelie bins full of the "humanure" produced over the days of the camp, into a truck, to be taken to a nearby farmer. Although I had only been at the camp for the Friday and Saturday evenings it made me feel part of the wider cycle of the whole camp and I appreciated that a group of us just appeared at the right time for the job to be done!"
 

For a full account of the camp visit http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/