Plane Stupid Southampton: why we did it

This morning seven people from Plane Stupid Southampton were charged after setting up a climate refugee camp across the entrance to Southampton airport. Pete Barker, one of those arrested, describes why he felt compelled to take direct action to stop climate change:

Once again I’m sat on the train to Southampton with my heart pounding, this time its for my first ever court appearance, but two weeks ago we were here steeling ourselves for direct action at the airport. We wanted to wake people up to the kind of things we can expect from climate change and challenge BAA, the owners of Southampton airport, to do something for the victims.We had even set them on the way by formally submitting a planning application for a Change of Use.

With the government committing us to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, clearly airports will need to find new uses. Having been a refugee camp between the wars and with the train station next door giving a low carbon alternative to short haul flights, why not turn this big field into a climate refugee camp? It has been estimated 200 million people will be made homeless by a rapidly changing climate over the next 40 years, these will be amongst the poorest and least able to cope.

Aviation accounts for 13% of the UK’s impact on the climate – and that’s a government figure, not ours! We feel as one of the major players in the industry, BAA should take on some of the responsibility.

And so there we were with a few pop-up tents and a new sign. Slowly realisation dawned and we had gone from individuals trying out their camping equipment to some kind of ‘incident’, cordoned off with blue Police tape. After about two and half hours of intermittent chats with the boys in blue – well trackies actually, ‘cos they’d been on training – we got arrested by a uniform, our chains cut and then held in custody for 12 hours – not fun I can assure you!

The planning application was due to be submitted by online portal but of course there was a technical problem and so paper copies had to be sent round to the council who have since replied asking for extra information such as noise surveys, social-economic and environmental impact assessments as well as architects designs. We are currently thinking about how best we can supply these within our limited resources.

So what motivates me to take a days holiday from work and cause myself all this strife? Is it because I’m scientifically aware of the effects our pollution is having on the planet and hate to see us trashing the place? Is it for our children who will inherit from us an unstable and broken environment? Is it because our leaders and political systems are failing us?

Or is it simply because my conscience will not let me stand by and do nothing to prevent global catastrophe and human tragedy?