Guest post by Ellie Smith

On the 3rd May at the UK Energy Summit, just for a change, a load of extremely powerful energy companies that own the vast majority of the UK’s energy will speak with politicians and policy formers about the future of our country’s energy – how much we need, and where it’s all going to come from.

It’s a great big party, and we weren’t invited.  Those who are most affected don’t get a look in, we just can’t afford to pay £1000 for a ticket every time the bigwigs get together.  Yet it is us who will have to clear up the mess they make – not just by having to pay the rising prices driving significant portions of the population into fuel poverty, but also through the effects of climate change.  According to the International Energy Agency, a famously diplomatic and relatively neutral body, the companies and policy makers attending this event are driving us to a a 6 degree rise in temperature by the end of this century, and possibly sooner.   This, by any stretch of the optimistic imagination, would be a catastrophe.

So I’m joining the bash happening outside.  Not because I want a piece of the Summit’s cake, but because it’s time communities start to invent our own recipes, have our own parties.  Locally produced energy is cheaper, more efficient and will help us to be resilient in the face of changes already happening in the climate – so let’s have a big six bash outside – not because we want to be inside, but to show them that our party is far more fun (we have costumes), much more important and not held at the expense of 99% of the population.

I’m going because after Copenhagen climate change plunged into the abyss of neglected issues, and I want to be part of the movement that brings it back to the forefront.   The movement that’s been slowly building up its inner resources, getting back its wind after a dry spell, is about to get back in the groove and I want to be a part of it.

For further (non-subjective) information about the action have a look on our website:  www.climatejusticecollective.org , and I hope we’ll see you at the Bash!