The Camp for Climate Action Scotland has been tipped off that anonymous
activists have successfully sabotaged the Glentaggart opencast coal
mine in South Lanarkshire. The unknown individuals have disabled the
conveyor belt that moves coal from the mine to Ravenstruther rail
terminal where the coal is then sent to Drax power station in Yorkshire.

The sabotage has the potential to greatly disrupt the removal of coal.
Insiders say that once it has been stopped it is difficult to restart
the heavily laden conveyors which is several kilometers long and comes
in quarter kilometer sections. Drax powerstation was the site of the
first Camp for Climate Action 2006.

The Camp for Climate Action Scotland is taking place cross the valley
from Glentaggart at the site of another proposed open cast mine at
Mainshill woods near Douglas. A protest camp has already been in place
for six weeks campaigning against the plans which have gone through
despite strong local opposition. The area is already one of the most
heavily mined areas in Europe with a number of other opencast mines
already being worked.

Diarmaid Lynch, a spokesperson from the Camp said on hearing the
news "“Fantastic. Congratulations to those who did this. Opencast mining
is responsible for a spike in the number of lung related deaths in this
small area. It is time that the likes of Scottish Coal and the planning
authorities are held directly responsible for their role in these
deaths. Climate change is a killer, both at home and in the Global
South where those who have benefited the least from industrialisation
are the first to pay the price.”"
The World Health Organisation estimates that climate change kills
150,000 people a year and that figure is expected to grow as countries
fail to take action. Cancer in the Douglas postcode area is 23% above
the national average, and 28% above the regional average. In the four
years that the existing three opencast mines have been operating in the
area pulmonary issues have increased 60%.

In a separate development the Camp for Climate Action has also learned
that police leave across the central belt of Scotland has been
cancelled as the various forces move to a state of high alert. To date
the policing at the Camp has been very low key, but campers remain
alert.

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1. The Camp for Climate Action Scotland can be contacted on 07910 915
698, 07906 499 379 and 07722 708 760. For further information on the
camp see www.climatecampscotland.org.uk

2. The aims of the Camp for Climate Action Scotland are to highlight
practical solutions to climate change from a grassroots level through
education and demonstration of sustainable living, and to take direct
action against the root causes of climate change. It among the first of
many such camps taking place this year. Previously camps have taken
place at Drax Powerstation, Heathrow and Kingsnorth Powerstation in the
UK.

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Posted By Calvin Jones to Climate Change Action at 8/06/2009 04:38:00 PM