Surrey county council declares climate emergency

10th July 2019

Yesterday, Extinction Rebellion groups from Guildford, Reigate & Redhill, Godalming, Dorking , and Farnham were at the Surrey County Council meeting to demand the council declare a climate emergency and enact policy to mitigate the climate & ecological crisis.

Around 80 activists staged a die-in outside Surrey County Hall, before packing the council chamber to hear SCC declare a climate emergency. Though a vote on declaring had not been on the agenda, the council admitted XR's actions had pushed the climate crisis up the agenda and forced a vote.

This is a welcome start. But we must now see immediate action in tackling climate breakdown. For SCC this includes:

- divestment of pension funds from fossil fuel companies

- an outright ban on oil & gas drilling in Surrey

- strong and determined opposition to expansion of Heathrow & Gatwick