Extinction Rebellion NL

Climate activists block A12 in The Hague for eighth day in a row; removed by police

Spread the love

https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/16/climate-activists-block-a12-hague-eighth-day-row-removed-police

The estimated several hundred climate activists who blocked the A12 highway in The Hague on Saturday have been removed from the road by the police.

Several hundred climate activists are blocking the A12 highway in The Hague on Saturday for the eighth day in a row. They are protesting against government measures that support the fossil fuel industry. The Police used water cannons after some time.

dizzy: Extinction Rebellion NL have blocked the A12 at the Hague on previous occasions. The current programme of ongoing protests is to demand that the Dutch government stops it’s huge fossil fuel subsidies. They have blocked the A12 daily since last Saturday with the police using water cannon to clear them and reporting minors to the Dutch equivalent of Social Services for protesting. The following video is at least a day old and so does not cover today’s protest.

Even more subsidies for fossil fuels than previously assumed, up to €46 billion annually

Image of loads of money
Image of loads of money

Even more subsidies and tax breaks are flowing into the fossil sector than previously assumed. According to a calculation by the Ministry of Economy and Climate, these amount to 39.7 to 46.4 billion euros annually. This is stated in the documents that will be released on Budget Day, September 19.

Insiders confirm corresponding reports from NOS. This is only a sum of all the benefits of the use of fossil energy and raw materials. It does not include, however, the cost to consumers. The report also states that a large part of the benefits (about 17 billion) is specified in international treaties or European Union directives.

A recent research report by SOMO, Oil Change International, and Milieudefensie already came to a total of 37.5 billion euros. Outgoing Minister Rob Jetten (Climate and Energy) said at the time that this amount sounded familiar. In general, Jetten wants to eliminate fossil fuel rebates.

According to NOS, this affects large steel companies, coal-fired power plants, greenhouse nurseries, inland shipping and oil refineries. Airlines, for example, do not have to pay kerosene tax in the Netherlands, which earns them more than 2 billion euros per year.

In recent years, fossil benefits have also disappeared. According to Jetten, phasing out fossil fuel perks can’t be done in one swoop. There has to be a phase-out plan for that, he says. “In this way we say goodbye to the old economy and create space for new jobs and prosperity,” he posted on X. For a long time, it was unclear how many subsidies and tax breaks went to the fossil fuel sector.

…

Continue ReadingClimate activists block A12 in The Hague for eighth day in a row; removed by police

Climate protestors block Hague highway for third day; 3,000 arrests so far

Spread the love

https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/11/climate-protestors-block-hague-highway-third-day-3000-arrests-far

Police used water canons to disperse Extinction Rebellion protesters blocking the A12 highway in The Hague, 9 September 2023 - Credit: Extinction Rebellion / Provided - License: All Rights Reserved
Police used water canons to disperse Extinction Rebellion protesters blocking the A12 highway in The Hague, 9 September 2023 – Credit: Extinction Rebellion / Provided – License: All Rights Reserved

By 2:00 p.m., there were no more protesters blocking the highway.

A few dozen Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists walked onto the A12 in The Hague around noon on Monday, blocking the highway in both directions for the third consecutive day. The climate action group intends to block the Utrechtsebaan, as the stretch of highway is known, every day until the Dutch government stops subsidizing fossil fuels. The police have arrested around 3,000 protesters since Saturday, and more arrests are expected to follow today.

The police ordered the protesters to get off the highway and hold their demonstration elsewhere, but like on the weekend, they gave no heed, according to AD. The Hague mayor Jan van Zanen, therefore, gave the police the go-ahead to clear the protesters off the highway.

At 12:30 p.m., the police started using water canons and arresting activists. Police officers physically removed activists from the highway and loaded them into buses to go to a police station in batches. By 1:00 p.m., most activists had been removed, and one lane of the highway reopened to traffic.

At 01:57 p.m., there were no more protesters blocking the highway, AD reported. At 02.23 p.m., it was announced that the highway was being cleaned and would soon be reopened to traffic in both directions.

…

“Every day all over the world, and especially in the Global South, people are dying because of climate disasters that our government is paying for,” XR spokesperson Tessel Hofstede said after Saturday’s protest. “This has to stop now. That is why we will keep coming back every day at noon until all fossil fuel subsidies are eliminated.”

A recent study by OMO, Oil Change International, and Milieudefensie showed that the Dutch government misses out on 37.5 billion euros in income yearly due to schemes that favor using fossil fuels. And that while there is overwhelming scientific evidence that greenhouse gases from fossil fuels are the leading cause of global warming.

https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/11/climate-protestors-block-hague-highway-third-day-3000-arrests-far

Continue ReadingClimate protestors block Hague highway for third day; 3,000 arrests so far

Extinction Rebellion NL start blockades of A12 motorway at The Hague

Spread the love

https://extinctionrebellion-nl.translate.goog/en/events/stop-fossiele-subsidies-a12-protest-permanent/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Permanent A12 blockade Stop Fossil Subsidies

Saturday, September 9 at 12:00 noon is the moment of the Big One: we will demonstrate for the eighth time on the A12. And also for the last time. Because no matter what the Hague municipal council allows the police to do, we will stay or come back day in and day out. Until the government meets our demand: an immediate end to all fossil subsidies. Together we can do this. Get involved and join us!

The most recent IPCC report is clear: continuing on the current path will lead to between 2.2 and 3.5 degrees of warming. Even now, the situation in the Global South is extreme: hundreds of thousands of people die every year as a result of the climate and ecological crisis. In 2022, 43,000 people died in Somalia alone due to drought. Yet our government stimulates the fossil industry with up to 30 billion euros in fossil subsidies every year . Bizarre policy with devastating consequences!

Participate? Which can! Good preparation is important. Take an Action Training so that you know how to take peaceful civil disobedience action and join the Telegram group A12StopSub

…

https://extinctionrebellion-nl.translate.goog/en/rond-2000-aanhoudingen-bij-eerste-dag-a12-blokkade-morgen-1200-uur-nieuwe-a12-blokkade/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Around 2,000 arrests during first day of A12 blockade, new A12 blockade tomorrow at 12:00 noon

09/09/2023

Extinction Rebellion will keep coming back, every day at 12:00 noon, until fossil subsidies are abolished

Today, on Saturday September 9, about 25,000 people demonstrated on and next to the A12 , in the blockade and the support demo . From 1:30 p.m., the police deployed water cannons and peaceful demonstrators were also frequently beaten with batons. Around 2,000 people were arrested for demonstrating peacefully on the A12 between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the temporary House of Representatives building. A large number of these demonstrators will be back on the A12 tomorrow at 12:00 noon to demand an immediate end to all fossil subsidies. If they are removed again by the police, they will return the next day and every day after that, always at 12:00 noon. 

Tessel Hofstede, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion and recently sentenced to 30 hours of community service for ‘incitement’: “On the first day of the permanent A12 blockade, many thousands of people showed that all fossil subsidies must now end. Every day around the world, and especially in the Global South, people die from climate disasters that our government helps pay for. This must stop now. That is why we will keep coming back, every day at 12:00 until all fossil subsidies are abolished.” 

37.5 billion euros annually: the amount is correct

On Tuesday, September 5, Rob Jetten admitted to the Financieel Dagblad that ‘the amount is correct’.[1] He was referring to the annual 37.5 billion euros in fossil subsidies from research by SOMO, Oil Change International and Milieudefensie.[2] He further indicated that the government is still busy ‘mapping’ the size. A striking fact since the Balkenende cabinet already determined in 2009 that fossil subsidies had to be phased out[3], a process that should have been completed in 2025. 

Mozart on the A12

XR Musicians was present with 180 musicians and a choir. They opened the demonstration with the Dies Irae from Mozart’s Requiem. Dies Irae means ‘Day of anger’. Cellist Sanne Bijker: “Anger is appropriate today, because the government is still investing in fossil subsidies at the expense of the Global South and future generations. Anger is also an emotion that sets you in motion, anger makes you get up and take action. We hope to get more people moving with this music.”

Professors in gowns [Scientists’ white coats?]

Scientist Rebellion demonstrated with dozens of scientists, including a number of professors, many of whom were wearing gowns. “Climate change requires radical system change towards a society that does everything it can to keep this planet livable and healthy for people, animals and nature,” said Patrick Huntjens, professor of governance of Sustainability Transitions, Maastricht University. “As long as there are 37.5 billion euros in fossil subsidies, the government is part of the problem and the main obstacle on the way to a sustainable and just society.” 

“This is the fourth time I have participated in the A12 blockade with Scientist Rebellion,” said Julia Schaumburg, professor of Econometrics, VU Amsterdam. “I am here as a scientist, but also, more importantly, as a citizen terrified of a future of continued global warming and environmental degradation.” 

Broad support for professional groups

All kinds of professional groups also demonstrated on the A12, including XR Civil Servants, XR Teachers, XR Healthcare Professionals, XR Therapists and the green farmers of 

Spokesperson Margarita Vossen of XR Zorgprofessionals: “This is bad news, further health damage must be prevented urgently. An emergency in the hospital is also not postponed, our planet is in need and we must take action now.”

Continue ReadingExtinction Rebellion NL start blockades of A12 motorway at The Hague

Extinction Rebellion NL start A12 blockade today

Spread the love
Extinction Rebellion NL activists block the Utrechtsebaan of the A12 highway in The Hague, 26 November 2022 Hague. They are calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies by government. Image: Extinction Rebellion.
Extinction Rebellion NL activists block the Utrechtsebaan of the A12 highway in The Hague, 26 November 2022 Hague. They are calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies by government. Image: Extinction Rebellion.

https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/09/extinction-rebellion-daily-a12-blockades-set-start-today-public-support-waning

Extinction Rebellion (XR) plans to block the A12 highway in The Hague again today in protest against the government’s support for the fossil fuel industry. Unlike with previous protests, the climate activists plan to keep this one going until the government stops all its subsidies to the fossil industry. If the police remove or arrest activists, new ones will replace them.

…

According to the XR spokesperson, many civil rights have been obtained through these “disruptive actions,” including safe cycle paths and the 40-hour work week. “It’s a proven strategy,” she said. “In addition, petitions have been signed, and climate marches have been taking place for 50 years. We have had climate diplomacy for 30 years. It has not achieved nearly enough.”

She acknowledged that the highway blockade will inconvenience people and that they’ll find it annoying. “But the nuisance of a flood or a forest fire is many times greater.”

A recent study by OMO, Oil Change International, and Milieudefensie showed that the Dutch government misses out on 37.5 billion euros in income yearly due to schemes that favor using fossil fuels. And that while there is overwhelming scientific evidence that greenhouse gases from fossil fuels are the main cause of global warming.

Extinction Rebellion NL starts it’s programme of blockades of the A12 in The Hague today.

Continue ReadingExtinction Rebellion NL start A12 blockade today

Dutch gov’t spends €37.5 billion per year on fossil fuel subsidies

Spread the love
image reads STOP FOSSIELE SUBSIDIES
image reads STOP FOSSIELE SUBSIDIES

https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/04/dutch-govt-spends-eu375-billion-per-year-fossil-fuel-subsidies

The Dutch government misses out on 37.5 billion euros in income every year due to schemes that favor using fossil fuels. Researchers from SOMO, Oil Change International, and Milieudefensie arrived at this amount in a study into how the government “subsidizes” the fossil fuel industry.

Researcher Boris Schellekens of the Foundation for Research on Multinational Enterprises (SOMO) called the estimate conservative. He and his colleagues ignored all costs of environmental damage. “We purely looked at missed state revenues.” The researchers are convinced that their overview is the most complete to date.

The report published on Monday describes 31 regulations that, in one way or another, make the use of fossil fuels more economical. That usually does not concern money that the government transfers to companies’ accounts but mainly tax discounts and exemptions. For example, major natural gas consumers do not have to pay energy tax on most of their consumption, and aviation and shipping are exempt from excise duty on kerosene and fuel oil. Oil refineries, coal-fired power stations, and the steel industry also enjoy such tax benefits.

The biggest hit, 13.5 billion euros per year, is in the energy tax, which is degressive in the Netherlands. That means that companies that use more energy have to pay relatively less tax on their consumption. The researchers call this “a perverse incentive.”

…

https://nltimes.nl/2023/09/04/dutch-govt-spends-eu375-billion-per-year-fossil-fuel-subsidies

Continue ReadingDutch gov’t spends €37.5 billion per year on fossil fuel subsidies