from the top of the Didcot tower

Twenty-five climate campaigners have begun their second day occupying one of Britain's dirtiest power stations.

Ten protestors spent the night in an improvised 'climate camp' on top of Didcot power station chimney, while a further 15 spent the night chained to the station's coal conveyor belts.

Last night, one of the protestors confronted Tony Blair who was visiting a local science centre. A question from Ben Stewart was transmitted from the power station chimney to Blair in the local ITV studio. He asked Mr Blair,

"On Monday you described climate change as a catastrophic threat to our civilization. Since then 60,000 tonnes of CO2 has been emitted into the atmosphere from this smokestack beside me. That's more than the 29 least polluting countries in the world combined. And of course with this power station 2/3 of the energy it generates is immediately wasted in the form of waste heat escaping up these huge cooling towers below me, so my question is very simple. How an earth can you claim to be a world leader on climate change when coal fired power stations like this one that burn coal and waste 2/3 of it continue to exist a decade into New Labour rule?"

The campaigners are demanding that the government phases out inefficient coal fired power stations like Didcot and instead backs more efficient localised - or "decentralised" - power generation.

Laura Yates Greenpeace climate campaigner said, "Today Tony Blair is set to talk to the German Chancellor in order to facilitate international leadership on climate change, yet at home he is still allowing outdated inefficient dinosaurs like Didcot to emit millions of tonnes of CO2 every year. He talks the talk but since he came to power UK CO2 emissions have gone up and coal burn has increased."

The 25 Greenpeace volunteers invaded the Didcot coal-fired power station at 5:30am yesterday morning, (2/11/2006). They immobilised the huge conveyor belts that carry coal into the plant by hitting emergency stop buttons and attaching themselves to machinery. A second group climbed the 200 metre high chimney, and set up a climate camp at the top. The climbers also painted 'Blair's legacy' on the side of the chimney stack.

Tomorrow will see 1,000s of people descend on Trafalgar Square to call for greater action to tackle climate change. The event organised by the group Stop Climate Chaos begins at 1pm and is expected to be the biggest ever public demonstration on climate change.

Didcot is the second most polluting power station in Britain[1], behind Drax in Yorkshire . The Oxfordshire facility was targeted because - like most of the Britain's power stations - two-thirds of the energy it generates is wasted, making a massive contribution to climate change.

The occupation comes in the week Sir Nicholas Stern released his ground-breaking study, warning of a global catastrophe if carbon emissions are not slashed. On Monday Tony Blair said: "This disaster is not set to happen in some science fiction future many years ahead, but in our lifetime." Meanwhile his government continues to allow inefficient power stations like Didcot to dominate the UK's electricity industry.

Most British power stations waste two-thirds of the energy they generate in the form of heat escaping up their cooling towers. By locating smaller generators close to where energy is used, the heat created in power stations can be captured and used to heat our homes. So-called 'decentralised energy' is already working in many European countries and powering cities like Copenhagen and Malmo. Along with a range of renewable energy technologies it is the key to modernising the electricity industry and slashing its massive contribution to global climate change. Woking Council has reduced its carbon footprint by 77% by employing decentralised technologies.

For more information, contact the Greenpeace Press office onsite. Video and stills are available. Campaigners are available for interview.

[1] Didcot A and B (the gas and coal stations taken together) represent the second largest point source of CO2 in the UK (9.3 million tonnes a year) after Drax in Yorkshire. Source: EU emissions Trading figures

Didcot coal field

Twenty-five climate campaigners arrested

Twenty-five climate campaigners were arrested at 5.30pm today (3/11/06) after ending their two day occupation of one of Britain's dirtiest power station (1).

Ben Stewart one of the protestors said, "Since being here we have halved Co2 emissions from this power station by stopping coal entering the facility. We've forced Tony Blair to answer direct questions from us about his climate trashing policies and shown that there is a cleaner, more efficient way of generating energy."

"Tomorrow we hope to be going to Trafalgar Square to take part in the Stop Climate Chaos rally, it should be the biggest public show of support for action against climate change ever and we ask everyone else who cares to come along too."

He concluded, "As long as the threat of climate change continues, our campaign to encourage government and industry to shift towards cleaner decentralised energy will continue and we will be keeping up the pressure."

The 25 Greenpeace volunteers invaded Didcot coal-fired power station at 5:30am on Thursday morning, (2/11/2006). Fifteen of the volunteers immobilised the huge conveyor belts that carry coal into the plant by hitting emergency stop buttons and attaching themselves to machinery. A second group of ten climbed the 200 metre high chimney, and set up a climate camp at the top.

On Thursday night, one of the protestors confronted Tony Blair who was visiting a local science centre. A question from Ben Stewart was transmitted from the power station chimney to Blair in the local ITV studio (2).

The group are demanding that the Government phases out inefficient coal fired power stations and instead backs more efficient localised - or "decentralised"- power generation.

The Didcot site is the second most polluting power station in Britain[1], behind Drax in Yorkshire. The Oxfordshire facility was targeted because - like most of the Britain's power stations - two-thirds of the energy it generates is wasted, making a massive contribution to climate change.

The occupation comes in the week Sir Nicholas Stern released his ground-breaking study, warning of a global catastrophe if carbon emissions are not slashed. On Monday Tony Blair said: "This disaster is not set to happen in some science fiction future many years ahead, but in our lifetime." Meanwhile his government continues to allow inefficient power stations like Didcot to dominate the UK's electricity industry.

Most British power stations waste two-thirds of the energy they generate in the form of heat escaping up their cooling towers. By locating smaller generators close to where energy is used, the heat created in power stations can be captured and used to heat our homes. So-called 'decentralised energy' is already working in many European countries and powering cities like Copenhagen and Malmo. Along with a range of renewable energy technologies it is the key to modernising the electricity industry and slashing its massive contribution to global climate change. Woking Council has reduced its carbon footprint by 77% by employing decentralised technologies.

For more information, contact the Greenpeace Press office onsite on 07717 704577 or in the office on 020 7865-8255 or. Video and stills are available. Campaigners are available for interview.

Notes

[1] Didcot A and B (the gas and coal stations taken together) represent the second largest point source of CO2 in the UK (9.3 million tonnes a year) after Drax in Yorkshire. Source: EU emissions Trading figures

[2] All 25 people have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage.

[3] Watch the television interview in which Tony Blair's is questioned by one of the protestors

[4] A full briefing on decentralised energy and the inefficiencies of coal, detailing a set of six government policies that make it more financially attractive to burn coal rather than gas and renewables: Blair's legacy - 10 years of hot air can be downloaded as a pdf here.

Climate campaigners shut down one of UK's biggest power stations

Greenpeace sets up 'climate camp' on top of 200 metre chimney

One of Britain's dirtiest power stations has been shut down by climate change campaigners.

Thirty Greenpeace volunteers invaded the Didcot coal-fired power station at 5:30am this morning, 2/11/2006. They have immobilised the huge conveyor belts that carry coal into the plant by hitting emergency stop buttons and attaching themselves to machinery. A second group is climbing the 200 metre high chimney, and will set up a climate camp at the top.

The Didcot site is the second most polluting power station in Britain[1], behind Drax in Yorkshire. The Oxfordshire facility was targeted because - like most of the Britain's power stations - two-thirds of the energy it generates is wasted, making a massive contribution to climate change. The campaigners are demanding that the Government phases out these kind of coal fired power stations and instead backs localised - or "decentralised" - power generation, which is much more efficient.

The occupation comes in the week Sir Nicholas Stern released his ground-breaking study, warning of a global catastrophe if carbon emissions are not slashed. On Monday Tony Blair said: "This disaster is not set to happen in some science fiction future many years ahead, but in our lifetime." Meanwhile his government continues to allow inefficient power stations like Didcot to dominate the UK's electricity industry.

Most British power stations waste two-thirds of the energy they generate in the form of heat escaping up their cooling towers. By locating smaller generators close to where energy is used, the heat created in power stations can be captured and used to heat our homes. So-called "decentralised energy" is already working in many European countries and powering cities like Copenhagen and Malmo. Along with a range of renewable energy technologies it is the key to modernising the electricity industry and slashing its massive contribution to global climate change. Woking Council has reduced its carbon footprint by 77% by employing decentralised technologies.

Greenpeace campaigns director Blake Lee-Harwood, who is part of the team that shut Didcot's conveyor belt, said: "Power stations like this are energy dinosaurs. This one power station emits over six millions tonnes of CO2 a year, that's more than the 29 lowest polluting countries put together. And, shockingly, Didcot could halve its emissions overnight if it switched from burning coal to gas."

He added:

"The fact that outrageously inefficient coal fired power stations like this still exist after a decade of New Labour rules is a potent symbol of Tony Blair's failure to tackle climate change. That's why we've shut it down."

Ben Stewart, occupying the 200m smokestack, added: "We hear a lot of fine talk from Tony Blair, but in reality C02 emissions have gone up under Labour while the climate crisis deepens. His legacy will be climate chaos. We'll leave this power station when he pledges to ditch these dinosaurs and start investing in cutting edge decentralised energy."

He added:

"Ministers are about to jet off to in the international climate talks in Nairobi to boast about their leadership on climate change, but the rest of the world will never take them seriously while they're letting CO2 emissions from inefficient power stations rise in the UK. Everyone who cares about climate change should come down and join the thousands who will be gathering in Trafalgar Square on Saturday to demand action to stop climate chaos."

Under Tony Blair:

• The use of coal for electricity generation has gone up from 47.3 to 52.5 million tonnes a year;
  
• Between the second quarters of 2005 and 2006 coal-burn for electricity rose by 10.5%
  
• UK Co2 eimissions have risen since 1997, from 549 million tonnes CO2 to 561.5 million tonnes of CO2. C02 emission in 2005 were only 5.5% below 1990 levels, way off the government's target of a 20% cut by 2010.

For more information, contact the Greenpeace Press office.
Video and stills available. Campaigners available for interview.

A full briefing on decentralised energy and the inefficiencies of coal, detailing a set of six government policies that make it more financially attractive to burn coal rather than gas and renwables: Blair's legacy - 10 years of hot air can be downloaded as a pdf here.

[1] Didcot A and B (the gas and coal stations taken together) represent the second largest point source of CO2 in the UK (9.3 million tonnes a year) after Drax in Yorkshire. Source: EU emissions Trading figures

Drax power station

Reacting to David Miliband's announcement today that British industry will be permitted to emit 238 million tonnes of CO2 in phase 2 of the Emissions Trading Scheme (2008-12), Greenpeace executive director Stephen Tindale said:

"The world's scientists are telling us we're entering a critical period and need massive emissions cuts to protect the planet, so this proposed 3% reduction in CO2 from British industry is not ambitious enough. It won't even be enough to meet the government's own target. But at least it's a reduction from what was allowed before, and at the top end of the range of cuts the government consulted on. It's a step in the right direction, though still too small a step.

"As David Miliband said, the government needs to do more to cut emissions in order to meet its 20% reduction target. In particular, it needs urgently to get a grip on the massive increase in coal being burnt in wasteful, antiquated power stations where two thirds of the energy is lost up the cooling towers. Our current centralised energy generation system will never deliver the kind of cuts the scientists tell us we need."

For more information contact:

Greenpeace press office : 0207 865 8255

Download the media briefing: Why the European Commission should reject the UKs National Allocation Plan for Phase 2 of the European Emissions Trading Scheme

Volunteers block Dowing St with tonnes of coal

Greenpeace volunteers have this morning blockaded three entrances to Downing Street with several tonnes of coal in protest against Tony Blair's failure to tackle global warming.

The action comes as Tony Blair rows back on his commitment to the Kyoto Protocol. In a series of statements in recent weeks the Prime Minister has cast doubt on his long-term support for the global agreement, while British emissions of carbon-dioxide have risen since he came to power.

At 7.30am a truck emblazoned with the slogan 'BLAIR - CLIMATE FAILURE' arrived at the Horse Guard's Road entrance to Mr Blair's residence. Greenpeace representatives informed police officers what they were about to do before the vehicle tipped several tonnes of coal in front of the gates. Simultaneously fifty Greenpeace volunteers emptied sacks of the polluting fuel across the King Charles Street entrance and the access point on Horse Guards parade. A tipper truck with fourteen tonnes of coal, emblazoned with the slogan 'THINGS CAN ONLY GET WETTER' which was destined for the Whitehall entrance was stopped by police.

One of the volunteers, Stephen Tindale, a former environment advisor to New Labour and now the executive director of Greenpeace, said:

"We've blockaded Downing Street with coal because Tony Blair has failed on climate change. We hope he clears his diary and spends the day in his office working to strengthen Kyoto and cut British emissions, because so far all he's done is make speeches. They told us things can only get better, but Blair's burning more coal than ever, our CO2 emissions have gone up, he's set to miss his own global warming targets and now it seems he's trying to kill off the Kyoto Protocol."

Greenpeace today publishes a dossier detailing Blair's failures. It details how the Prime Minister has:

• Failed to reduce CO2 emissions - carbon-dioxide emissions have gone up since Blair became PM in 1997
  
• Sacrificed the climate in the face of industry lobbying - Blair is taking the EU to court after it prevented him from increasing the amount of CO2 British industry is allowed to emit
  
• Subsidised and supported coal, the most polluting of all fuels - Britain burns 7.5% more coal now than it did in 1997, simply because it is cheaper than (less polluting) gas
  
• Failed to stem the flow of wasted energy haemorrhaging from UK buildings
  
• Failed to end the scandalous waste of energy from the UK electricity generation and distribution system
  
• Instructed airports to expand despite the facts that aviation is a major contributor to climate change
  
• Failed to halt the growth in greenhouse gas emissions from traffic and embarked on a new road building program - while Ken Livingstone tackles emissions from transport the PM encourages car use
  
• Weakened international policies to tackle climate change - opponents of tough global emissions targets have welcomed Blair's recent statements

Negotiations for the second phase of Kyoto are set to begin in Montreal this month, but the Prime Minister has indicated he doesn't support the tough new climate change targets the agreement is designed to eventually deliver. In a speech this month Blair said: "The blunt truth about the politics of climate change is that no country will want to sacrifice its economy in order to meet this challenge." Lord May, President of the Royal Society, responded last week by saying: "The blunt truth about the politics of climate change is that countries are not doing enough to adapt their economies so that they reduce their greenhouse gas emissions."

The United Kingdom is one of those countries. Greenpeace's Stephen Tindale said:

"Climate change is already killing 150,000 people a year, hundreds of species are threatened with extinction and entire island states could disappear under water. We're facing a climate catastrophe, but Blair's back-tracking. He needs to act, and soon. He could cut emissions by burning less coal, getting right behind renewable energy schemes, dropping airport expansion plans, making cars use less fuel and making Britain's buildings more energy efficient."

For more information contact Greenpeace on 0207 865 8255

Download the Blair Climate Crime File as a pdf.