Climate justice activists disrupt National Grid event at COP26

Yesterday, 10 November 2021, around 15.30, protestors interrupted a National Grid event in the COP26 Green Zone by storming the stage with a banner saying ‘No Fracked Gas, No Crude Oil, End Neocolonial Spoil’.

The group, including activists from Shale Must Fall, Frack Off London, and Extinction Rebellion, dropped the banner to draw attention to the company’s shale gas operations. The National Grid hosted event was a panel discussion on energy transition at the Green Zone of the COP26 conference.

The group are accusing the UK government of allowing National Grid to greenwash their image while continuing to import vast amounts of fracked gas. There are two super-emitting gas transmission compressor stations owned by National Grid. Within the past month methane emissions at Chelmsford Compressor Station (08/10/21) and Kings Lynn Compressor Station (15/10/21) were among the most significant events the Clean Air Task Force witnessed after visiting over 250 sites in 12 countries. [1]

Esteban Servat from the Shale Must Fall coalition said, “It is hypocrisy beyond belief that, at a time when the IPCC is calling for urgent methane cuts and the US and EU champion a Global Methane Pledge, COP26 – the most important climate summit ever – is sponsored by one of the leading culprits in methane emissions increases.”

In Brooklyn, New York, National Grid is constructing a new high pressure fracked gas pipeline despite protests from local residents and a coalition of activist groups. Those opposing the construction have labelled this a ‘racist pipeline’ highlighting that the route is directed through all black and brown communities in the area. [2]

Margot Spindelman, of the No North Brooklyn Pipeline Coalition, states, “As National Grid pushes more methane into our corner of the world and small Brooklyn communities, we know our fight is not just halting the North Brooklyn pipeline, but fighting global capitalism that allows corporations like National Grid to harm us while playing environmentalists at COP26.”

Citations

[1] National Grid is belching leaked methane into the atmosphere https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/10/23/national-grid-belching-leaked-methane-atmosphere/

[2] National Grid Is Building A Natural Gas Pipeline Through North Brooklyn. But Do We Need It? https://gothamist.com/news/national-grid-building-natural-gas-pipeline-through-north-brooklyn-do-we-need-it