Extinction Rebellion protesters, local campaigners and politicians including Metro Mayor Dan Norris are to march through the centre of Keynsham on Saturday in protest at local MP Jacob Rees-Mogg's backing of UK oil production.
The morning-long event will see a rally at the Keynsham Park bandstand with speakers including the founder of Extinction Rebellion, Bristol University professor Colin Davis and West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris.
The protesters then intend to march out of Memorial Park and fill the High Street later in the morning, performing street theatre as they go. The event is set to end with a vegan picnic.
Read more: Bristol vicar Sue Parfitt has Extinction Rebellion MOD protest conviction quashed
Those behind the demonstration said they wanted to do it in Keynsham because it is one of the biggest towns in the North East Somerset constituency of Jacob Rees Mogg.
"We have recently seen a string of extreme severe weather events that are almost certainly related to climate change," said Rich Prior from Extinction Rebellion Keynsham.
"In April, parts of India recorded their highest average temperatures on record and South Africa recorded devastation floods, killing more than 450. Scientists have concluded that these were made far more likely, and other recent devastating exceptional events would have been 'virtually impossible', without climate change. Back in May 2021, a report from the International Energy Agency, previously seen as a conservative body, concluded there could be no new oil or gas fields or coalmines if the world was to reach net zero by 2050.
"In April, shocked by the latest IPCC report that said it was “now or never” to start slashing emissions, Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, launched an outspoken attack on companies and governments whose climate actions did not match their words.
"In the light of this immediate crisis, Rees-Moggs statements that 'every last drop' of oil should be taken out of the North Sea oilfields, and that fossil fuel energy companies should not be the subject of a tax on their huge profits, are reckless. They are also wrong - Accelerating extraction in the North Sea will not help UK energy consumers. Fossil Fuel companies sell the oil and gas to the highest bidder on international markets, keep all the revenue, and are currently making eye-watering profits on which they pay almost no tax. Almost 80 per cent of UK production of crude oil is exported and plays no part in our domestic energy security," he added.
“We are seeing the dire impacts of climate change now - witness the severe flooding in Africa and Australia and extreme high temperatures in India. Accelerating extraction of oil and gas from the north sea won’t provide relief for hard pressed uk householders. A large programme of home insulation and accelerating transition to renewables and energy storage will provide jobs, better energy security and a chance of a liveable world," he added.
Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android
