Activists have peacefully occupied the offices of controversial Drax lobbyist following the government announcement to further fund the UK’s biggest carbon emitter.
Yesterday the government announced four years more subsidies for Drax, the biggest tree burning power station in the world and UK’s single biggest carbon emitter. This morning, twenty activists occupied the office building of 5654 & Company, the lobbyists of Drax and Heathrow, resulting in all staff leaving for the day.
Rosie from Axe Drax said:
The decision to back Drax is a disaster for the climate and our energy bills. Funding the biggest carbon emitter in the UK in the name of green energy is insane. It is time for Labour to dump Drax and their lobbyists, not double down support. We are sick of their unaccountable power, while millions of us have our bills hiked
Labour’s decision to back Drax follows announcement last week that Rachel Reeves backs Heathrow third runway. Both Drax and Heathrow share the corporate lobbyists 5654 & Company, a shady organisation that specialises in reputation management. Axe Drax activists have occupied their offices demanding Labour dumps Drax and their dodgy lobbyists.
Axe Drax
Axe Drax is a UK based grassroots network that actively opposes Drax through disruptive direct action. We campaign for an end to Drax’s subsidies, due to the environmental, societal and planetary impacts of burning trees for energy. We are building a broad based network, working in solidarity with frontline communities to effectively confront the environmentally destructive biomass industry and the social and economic forces driving climate change.
Our recruiting, training, and capacity building is supported by the Climate Emergency Fund, which strategically supports ultra-ambitious organizations demanding solutions to the climate crisis at emergency speed.
Drax
Drax Power Station, located near Selby in Yorkshire, is the world’s biggest woody biomass power station and the UK’s single largest carbon emitter. Drax sources from around the world, primarily the US, Canada, and the Baltic States. Drax’s wood pellet production sites, predominantly located in environmental justice communities, emit large amounts of pollutants, such as PM10, PM2.5 and VOCs which are linked to respiratory and pulmonary health impacts. Woody biomass is counted as carbon neutral by the UK Government, allowing Drax to receive renewable energy subsidies (CfDs and ROCs).