Everything you need to know about Extinction Rebellion
Press enquiries
If you are a journalist with a media enquiry, please contact our Press Office by email at [email protected]
For all other general enquiries, please call 0345 555 7100 or email [email protected].
Extinction Rebellion is everywhere at the moment 鈥� on the news, across social media 鈥� and the chances are that you鈥檝e seen their now iconic hourglass logo plastered around your local town.
With prominent figures such as calling on the public to do their bit for the planet, and young people around the world going on thanks to Greta Thunberg, the climate crisis we鈥檙e facing is more in the public eye than ever before.
But what is Extinction Rebellion, and how is it helping to combat climate change? Here鈥檚 everything you need to know about Extinction Rebellion.
What is Extinction Rebellion?
Extinction Rebellion, or 鈥榅R鈥�, is a movement which protests climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. It works to make the government admit that we鈥檙e in the middle of a climate emergency, and start taking action to tackle it, using non-violent techniques to protest, including civil disobedience.
The movement was founded by a group of academics and scientists as a response to the IPCC report which found that there are only twelve years left before the effects of climate change are irreversible.
When were Extinction Rebellion formed?
Extinction Rebellion was聽formed on 31 October 2018 by a group of activists, with an aim to rally support and create a sense of urgency about the need to tackle climate change.
What do Extinction Rebellion want?
XR has carefully developed which it feels are essential to tackle the climate emergency we are facing.聽
It is targeting the government and putting pressure on them to do more about climate change, and to face up to the climate emergency we鈥檙e in. They鈥檙e also demanding that the government and other organisations and businesses start to act immediately 鈥� with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025.
As well as focussing on the government, it鈥檚 working to make climate change a problem that can鈥檛 be ignored by anyone.
How is Extinction Rebellion protesting?
XR has been hitting headlines over the last few months with their non-violent but effective methods. They've shut roads, delayed trains, blocked the London Stock Exchange, and even disrupted a debate in the House of Commons 鈥� all making it impossible not to listen to what they have to say.
Although they have been steadily demonstrating since the start of 2019, when they occupied five prominent sites in London 鈥� Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Marble Arch, Waterloo Bridge and the area around Parliament Square.
Oxford Circus was blocked off as activists parked a boat in the middle of the intersection which they glued themselves to, and Waterloo Bridge was shut when protesters blocked it off and set up gazebos, a temporary stage and even a skate ramp!
Over eleven days and the protests received constant press coverage.
What has Extinction Rebellion achieved?
As well as receiving a massive amount of press coverage which has given people no choice but to listen to their demands, XR has also put pressure on many councils and local authorities who have now declared climate emergencies. Many music, culture and arts organisations and some businesses are now declaring a climate emergency聽鈥� including Ecotricity!
How can you be part of Extinction Rebellion?
Anyone can get involved with XR 鈥� and you don鈥檛 have to be willing to get arrested! Extinction Rebellion has a great on their website about how you can get involved, with plenty of videos and info about the movement.
Luckily, XR is based all over Britain, so wherever you live there should be a group you can get involved in, doing as much or as little as you鈥檇 like.
You can also , because it is funded mainly through crowdfunding, donors, non-government organisations and foundations.
Similar articles
Why we鈥檙e supporting the Young Green Briton Challenge
The Young Green Briton Challenge is an investment in a cultural shift that places sustainability at the heart of our communities.
More
Introducing Lucy 鈥� our Principal Sites Manager
You may have noticed that this year we鈥檙e celebrating 30 years of Ecotricity. 皇冠体育app鈥檝e certainly achieved a lot in this time, and we couldn鈥檛 have done it without our fantastic customers - but also our loyal staff too.
More
皇冠体育app鈥檙e at the Media Production & Technology show
皇冠体育app鈥檙e excited to join forces with our partners at BAFTA albert on the ground at the Media & Production Technology Show (MPTS).
More