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What is Groundswell?
Groundswell is a call for an escalation in climate justice actions in the wake of the Paris 2015 climate talks. Governments have failed to deliver what is needed and now, more than ever, it is up to us to raise awareness of the biggest crisis facing our planet today, and to stop it.
We are building a year of memorable actions on climate justice. Groundswell will link up groups taking action, and create new avenues for people to engage in civil disobedience.
We want to (and will!) do more for climate justice in one year than our governments have in the last twenty-one.
How does it work?
- Get a group together and sign up by emailing info@reclaimthepower.org.uk or phoning 07443816591
- We can provide support with trainings, finding a target and coming up with an action mission (only if wanted)
- Do it!
- Share your action online
- You’ll receive a message for the next mission
Actions that are already taking place or planned can also become part of the Groundswell project. This is about encouraging people to take creative and imaginative initiatives, inspiring ourselves from others and celebrating what is already going ahead.
Are the actions centered around a particular topic?
Anything related to climate justice. The arms trade, greenwashing, anti-immigration laws many of our struggles are interlinked. All need action taken against them in order to build a just world.
Is the website going to be secure?
Security and anonymity is of our utmost concern. The website is encrypted and we will not store emails or other information from users (e.g, no cookies etc). We are doing everything on our side that we can to ensure the security of teams, but, of course, we encourage teams to take precautions as well. It is possible to see remotely that a particular internet connection is communicating with the Groundswell website, but not possible to see the content of that communication. The Tor secure web browser can be used by teams for further security.
Who can get involved?
This is for any and every group that shares our aims and values, from small NGOs to local fracking groups. We don’t expect everyone to be on board at the beginning of the year, but hope they’ll be inspired to join us as it progresses. Everyone is welcome, we need as many people as possible!
How long will it last?
All of 2016. But who knows, maybe it will carry on beyond.
Is it just in the UK?
Sort of. As 2015 was very focused on international (mainly European) connections due to the COP21, the idea is to relocalise around UK issues. However, this does not stop anyone from leaving the island and spreading Groundswell far and wide.
How can I find people that want to be involved in my action?
Reclaim the Power have groups in Manchester, Bristol, London and Leeds. There are other groups involved (listed on our website) who have groups elsewhere. Check out the Reclaim the Power website or Facebook page to get informed about when and where meetings are. If there is no group in your region, all you need to do is find one or two people to join you and it can be enough to take action. We’ll also be running activist speed datings to get activsts together. Watch this space.
Do we need to keep it a secret?
We want everyone to be talking about Groundswell and to be proud to be taking direct action. But you need to take your own security seriously so that you can make it sustainable. The website will not record any private information about you. And we advise not giving out any unecessary information when you are talking about something which will get you in to trouble.
Do we have to do three actions?
Of course not, you can do many more! 🙂 There will be no policing around this though so if you don’t end up doing three no one will be there to say anything about it. The idea is to take it on as an encouraging challenge so that collectively we increase our positive impact.
What sort of actions are we talking about?
While we understand that a diversity of tactics is always needed in campaigns, we hope that actions that are part of Groundswell will be as direct as possible. This is about rolling out Red Lines across sites of extraction and oppression. There are some great ideas here.
If I can’t commit to taking direct action, can I still be involved?
Of course! There are many other ways to participate and we’d love to hear from you if you are interested. Just to give a few examples, help is needed in media, social networking, training, suggesting pre-planned actions in your area of expertise, and much more.
My question hasn’t been answered here. Where do I go for more info?
First look on our website and see if it can be answered there. Join a local Reclaim the Power meeting or send an email to info@reclaimthepower.org.uk or phone 07443816591