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21-Jun-2004

Conference held on oil addiction and climate change

by: Karen Grant

United Kingdom: On the 29th of May 2004, a major conference on the topic of "Oil, War and Climate Change" took place in Edinburgh. The event focused specifically on the United Kingdom’s oil dependency and how this is contributing to a deepening climate crisis, how it jeopardises global security and creates environmental and social injustices.

One of the speakers, Alan Mackinnon, chair of Scottish Committee for Nuclear Disarmament , said, "Iraq was the first major resource war of the 21st century. It will not be the last. If we survey the world today virtually every area of conflict and military build-up is ultimately a battle ground for oil."

The day before the conference saw the worldwide release of "The Day After Tomorrow" - a disaster movie about catastrophic weather events. Jo Hamilton of the climate campaign network Rising Tide, who was one of the organisers of the event said, "Whilst tidal waves engulfing Manhattan may remain in the science fiction realm, right now people are being evacuated from their homes in Pacific Islands. Right now people are suffering water shortages, crop failures, flooding. The people who are bearing the brunt of climate change today have done the least to cause it."

The event was the result of a partnership between, Scottish Education and Action for Development, Friends of the Earth Scotland, People and Planet (the student network) and Rising Tide UK.

Source: Karen Grant (Scottish Education and Action for Development)