Climate scientist explains Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion have been causing disruption in the name of preventing catastrophic climate change. But what are the organisation's aims? And how do they compare to our understanding of global warming?

#CreatorsForChange #ClimateChange #ExtinctionRebellion

==MORE INFO & REFERENCES==

Extinction Rebellion’s goals:
Citizen’s Assembly:
Poll on popularity:
Arresting strategy:
Labour backing:
Extinction Rebellion significance:
School strike numbers:
Extinction Revellion analysis:

[ClimateAdam]

What do *you* think of Extinction Rebellion? Could it make a difference? Are you tempted to take part?

There are so many sides to these protests that I didn't get a chance to discuss, but can't wait to hear all your thoughts!

[christill]

When they first formed Extinction Rebellion and blocked the bridges a while ago, I wasn’t really a fan. But even though I personally don’t want to get arrested, I am now fully supporting them because I feel like there is no other solution left.

The government ignore petitions and other things like that. Direct action seems to be the best choice. Although it seems as if the government are offering to talk with the school strikers but not ER. But anyway, both are fairly interlinked so it’s all positive.

[leightoncooke]

Meanwhile in Mozambique:
"Cyclone Kenneth arrived late on Thursday, just six weeks after Cyclone Idai ripped into central Mozambique and killed more than 600 people. This was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, highlighting concerns about climate change.”

[mfg]

In a country that happily steps over people in doorways sleeping rough, thinks food banks are normal and accepts 5 per cent unemployment, then of course we need a rebellion. But... Your film did not point out the errors and misguided statements made by some of the protesters in regards to climate and consequences.
You lost more people with what you did - you should have tried to win the argument with rational and clear statements. True, irrefutable statements.
But.. what did we get. "The world will have no food in 5 years time ". "97 per cent of all people on earth agree with us" and best of all " lets get rid of carbon dioxide all together".

[alieighty]

Regarding the 2nd demand from XR it's always better to start a negotiation with a big unreasonable/unrealistic demand than it is to start from the middle of your opponents position. Much better to demand zero emissions by 2025 than it is to ask "can we please have a 10% reduction over the next 5 years?"

[laurenwilson]

Great round-up, I agree that while the aims might at first seem unrealistic it's a case of shoot for the moon and even if you miss you'll land among the stars. Can't wait to see what happens next!

[geofffriend]

check the decline in arctic sea ice volume. Decline in insect numbers worldwide. Decline in plankton. Loss of coral reefs. Decline in bees and other pollinators. Then consider the impact of these and other factors combined on food production....with over 250, 000 extra people to feed every day. These are adding up to a critical loss of habitat.

[jakelim]

A citizens’ assembly is needed to have a political discourse of how to tackle climate crisis. Every country needs to have its own Green New Deal (inspired by new dealers of the 30s and a massive economic boost) to transform their economy and way of life. It has to be the scale of WW2. It’s feasible for Britain to spend hundreds of billions to have a green transition sapping money from London’s financial sector (90% money flows doesn’t get into the real economy anyway). It won’t be a pouring money into a black hole because it’s going to be massive economic upswing and might help the Brexit heartlands too.

[myriammadigan]

Thanks Adam - wonderfully clear and easy to share with people who are not really focused on the problem.

[martinjones]

Just look at the forests they have cut down in Australia it's causing massive droughts over there the only way it to start replanting trees that will be a start

[billclark]

So let's look at climate change as a bus bearing down on us at 50km/h. Net zero (the date is largely irrelevant) simply means that, at very best, the bus hits us at....50km/h. Which means WAIS and Greenland's ice disappear, which....gives us sea level rise way above the 1m or so that, by inundating the world's deltas, will wipe out about 25% of our food production capacity. The analogous 50 km/h also means that CO2 levels will continue to be expressed through C3 plants (and phytoplankton) undergoing a nutritional collapse...which in turn is leading to insect numbers and bird numbers dropping off the proverbial cliff.

In short, we can't afford the luxury of XR's demands.

We need to have absolute zero emissions from bio fuels, fossil fuels and cement as soon as possible. Then (taking 'today' as a base line) we need to have net negative emissions from remaining land use sources.

I see Greta Thunberg has joined the call for a Global General Strike. That might do it, as long as the slogan is "Never Going Back". I've seen 27th of September of this year being touted as the date to "down tools" and walk away (for good?).

[MistiClectiCisM]

We can not do without XR, it is the most hopeful social response to the emergency and is setting a great path of coherent pro peace values for an upcoming scenario that is extremely violent. If it is not for justice and peace it will not be worth it so it has to be in the values of XR ! Thanks for your work !

[Glenn_Ratcliffe]

We've come a long way since then. XR is now in 72 counties 👍

[jacob]

30, 000 have joined XR and as far as I know that’s in the UK alone. The last time any such grass roots movement took root in Western Europe was the early peace movement.
Up to recently a lot of people have been very worried about climate change, nearly as many think urgent action is necessary but many activists (at the heart of XR and elsewhere) have felt previous attempts to build a mass movement, force governments to act and educate the public have ended up failing. The Paris Accord is a voluntary accord for example.
XR as well as the Fridays for Future movement must not and cannot be allowed to fade away or disappear.
A labor government in the UK could get a Citizens Assembly up and running.
It is a world and national 🚨 emergency.
XR has put the issue of the future of the human race centre stage. 🌷✊🌎🔥

[bethanyhunt]

I like Extinction Rebellion so much I joined last week. XR South Australia is up & running - though I think if we're going to shut anything down, we'll have to focus on Sydney, as that's where the money is.

[tobyhunter]

Share, recycle and repair
make one of two
buy never new
Don' use a plane
travel by train
And drive your car with hurts them more than protest! Twindling profits are the best Alarm !

[bertiefox]

When you say “get where we want to be”, what do you mean? Do you mean zero or very low carbon emissions?

[indricotherium]

There should be more pushback on this 'disrupting people' lives' accusation. Anyone making a journey can run into disruption - ask Mr Grayling and his executive chums in the privatised rail companies, for example or the bus companies that very often just pull a bus from the schedule. So profit or cost-savings motives for disruption are tolerated with irritation, while disruption directly planned for causes is an aggressive infringement of a human right of free access to the street on preferred terms.
Of course, protesters target larger population centres, by their nature already busy. People who live and work in London are in fierce competition for space and time and they choose to enter that environment. London profits and functions on a high concentration of people. But just as the impact of road closures or car crashes or public transport shortfalls will have a greater effect, so will a street protest.
All the while Extinction Rebellion remain non-violent and are not disrupting people's lives in their homes or in hospitals or in other private and personal settings, there's no convincing case for stopping their activities.

[mandyoliver]

Firstly while your video did explain very well a lot of aspects of the lack of movement on climate change, one of the most devastating issues of our time, it wasn't completely correct. The main point of Extinction Rebellion wasn't to annoy the police (albeit this was a necessary byproduct) it was to raise the alarm on this subject which it has successfully done. The point is that whether 6 years seems a short time to overhaul our use of fossil fuels, we don't have another option, unless slow painful death is one on your list. Yes, it's dramatic, but we knew the science and the ways to overcome it many many years ago and didn't act. If there was a war we would change the economy and all our production of goods, in a short time. It was done in war time. It can be done, but it needs the will and the policies, and the recognition that there is no other option.

[curtisbattig]

In Canada Alberta we have the tarsands I want to start a slow moving convoy on the highway from Edmonton to Fort Mac. Renewable energy cars should be used to drive as slow as the law allows. Get arrested with out breaking any laws.