European Climate Exchange
Details
8 months after thousands of Climate Camp activists set up camp outside the European Climate Exchange on Bishopsgate, CC activists returned to the site on 7th December 2009, the opening day of the COP-15 climate summit in Copenhagen. The European Climate Exchange is the European centre of carbon trading, a scheme whereby countries and companies buy their way out of their emissions-reducing responsibilities. Approximately 15 activists pitched tents and hung banners demanding an end to attempts to take advantage of climate chaos to foster trade and bolster business as usual. The main door was blockaded. Passers-by were engaged with. No one was arrested.
The timing of this action was critical - it was taken on the first day of the COP-15 climate summit in Copenhagen, a hotbed of false market-based solutions as the world's leaders demonstrate their inability to move beyond the free-market mechanisms which opened the door and ushered in crippling economic meltdown throughout 2008 and 2009. Carbon trading is the greatest example of a market-based false solution to climate change (see Carbon Trading in the Issues section). The action was a warning to world leaders and their corporate sponsors to take their responsibilities seriously and act, for once, in the best interests of the planet.
Media
Protest against carbon trading
A group of climate activists have staged a demonstration in the City of London to protest against carbon trading as a "false solution" to climate change.
Around 15 people set up tents outside the European Climate Exchange building in Bishopsgate to coincide with the start of the climate change conference in Copenhagen.
One of the activists said: "Carbon trading is part of the false solution being put forward in Copenhagen by the same people who brought us the financial crisis."
(Press Association, 7th December 2009)
Consequences
Arrests
No arrests were made.
Company Reaction
Employees were unwilling to communicate with activists and seemed in opposition to the core message. The company itself has not responded with any statement or action.