Hello John
What a year. More record-breaking extreme weather events than ever before. Twenty-one species gone extinct. Our first day of 2C global heating.
And yet our government has invited in more oil and gas, and weakened its net zero targets. They have been criticised by their own independent advisors, as well as the National Audit Office and a cross-party group of MPs. But the government thinks the truth is optional and dissent is criminal, pushing through tougher policing laws that the UN calls ‘troubling’.
Things are still shit. But there have been immense acts of resistance and hope across the world. Here are some of the actions we've taken in the UK in 2023.
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This year we set out a goal of disrupting power, not the public. We kept that promise. In April, 100,000 people came out for The Big One, supported by the biggest coalition of environmental organisations ever assembled. This act of peaceful protest, with family friendly tents and a joyful spirit, gave people who weren’t ready for civil disobedience a chance to show their compassion, anger and power.
We targeted the industries that are harming us. We helped to shut down the Oil and Money conference, brought to a halt the Farnborough airfield and Luton Airport private jet terminal, disrupted arms fairs and blocked the UK's largest open cast coal mine, Ffos-y-Fran, ultimately getting it shut down for good.
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Our actions were targeted, creative and everywhere. In the second half of the year alone, rebels took nearly 1,000 actions across the country. We protested outside banks and insurers, particularly Barclays, Europe's megafunder of fossil fuels, and disrupted AGMs joyfully with song and theatre.
We called out the epic amounts of raw sewage being pumped into our rivers and seas, with family friendly acts of resistance. We saw thousands of people 'Paint The Streets' to make XR visible across the UK. 'Letting the people decide' is a central part of XR - which is why we established 25 Community Assemblies this year.
And we did all this through the power of an autonomous UK-wide movement with more than 200 local groups, community groups and campaigns.
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When our rebels break the law in defence of life, we support them. We are glad to have had many wins in the courts this year. We are grateful to those who have put their liberty at risk in service of a fair, just, and liveable world.
What we achieve, we achieve because we unite to survive. We worked with hundreds of other movements, organisations and communities, stood in solidarity with others, were supported by over 100 leading public figures, and put the climate crisis in the news.
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But our futures are still to fight for. Our government has failed to make the urgent changes required for a liveable world, despite the urgency and scale of the climate and ecological crisis.
Is this ok with you? Each week in January, we will be sending you a specific route to activism. Turn your rage into resistance.
Love and courage,
XR UK
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