In England a jury acquitted Greenpeace activists who caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a coal plant, buying the excuse that they did it to stop global warming. I’m sure this will just embolden eco-terrorists everyone. If you commit a crime, in the name of global warming, you will get off scott free. This is very disturbing.
Observations from a conservative in a blue state. With a little help from my friends!
On the Ground at the edge of the wedge in the U.K., an energy professional’s perspective.
This is a remarkable development. Why, because the ruling does not take logic and reason into account. At Kingsnorth power station and several other facilities these “climate change activists” placed themselves and the people working at the power plant in danger. Their stated objective was to shut down the station.
With energy costs to consumers increasing by as much as 30% (much more in some areas) across the country, generating companies now must spend millions of dollars upgrading and improving their security systems. This in an effort to keep out activists who sit on converyor belts, try to climb exhaust stacks, or enter switchyards. Power stations like any large industrial facility require training and qualification for their employees to operate in a safe manner.
These protests place plant workers’ lives at risk. Each of these protests siphon high numbers of police and emergency reponders away from their normal duties. In most cases the costs of this response is defrayed by the company being targeted. In essence this taxes the limits of the system and takes money out of the pockets of the people of the U.K.
The irony in this story is that the plants that are being assaulted are in the midst of upgrade programs which will improve their efficiency and reduce the level of emissions. Like the U.S.A., Britain relies on coal fired power generation for the majority of their electricity. If these plants were to shut down the effects on the economy and the quality of life would be devastating.
Protesting and carrying a voice of their concerns to the masses is understandable. I agree that more needs to be done and it needs to be done faster. But, there has to be accountability for one’s actions regardless of their motivation. Placing the safety, security, and economy of their community at risk must have a consequence.
I am an American Expat in the U.K. working on programs to significantly reduce emissions by coal fired power generators and build environmentally friendly wind farms. The efforts of the cimate change activists would better benefit their fellow man by helping remove the obstacles in the path of these efforts and acting in a proactive and responsible manner.
If the courts will not enforce the law and protect the populace, how far have we come as a civilized society? Let’s hope this does not carry across the Atlantic.
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I am convinced that the extreme environmentalists despise humanity. I also wonder, where do they live? How do they heat their homes and how do they see after the sun sets.
I certainly hope this doesn’t come our way. It’s as if they’ve been given a license to kill.
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