The Climate Camp Scotland group has packed up and left Aberdeen after five days of protests in the city.
Protestors were seen packing up their tents, de-erecting their marquee, and leaving St Fitticks park as their five days of camping comes to an end.
Over the week the campers had built a toilet block and a kitchen at the Torry green space.
The organisers believe the camp had well over 250 people at its busiest point.
People had flocked from across the UK to attend.
During their time in the Granite City the protestors have:
- Held an oil and gas industry protest in Aberdeen city centre.
- Tresspassed on Aberdeen Harbour in protest against plans to develop an Energy Transition Zone in a Torry park.
- Held a migrant’s rights rally at the Castlegate
Do the campers agree with the ‘Greenwashing’ graffiti?
During their stay in the city, the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) on Queens Road was targeted by graffiti outside its building.
The graffiti labelled what the business was doing as “Greenwashing”.
The company was trying to develop technology for an affordable net zero energy industry.
Net zero is when the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we put into the atmosphere balances with the amount we are able to take out.
One of the organisers, Quan Nguyen said: “We don’t know who did it, it was a group unattached to us. But we do approve of the message.
“Net zero is a Greenwash and relies on technology that isn’t ready. It contains highly inaccurate and really sketchy information.”
‘Net zero needs to get in the bin’
Another organiser, Benji Brown, 30, claimed: “Net Zero needs to get in the bin. It allows you to fiddle the numbers with tree planting schemes.
“But the root cause is an economy that relies on fossil fuels.
The campers instead are trying to promote already available technology such as public transport, high-speed rail, well insulated homes, and heat pumps.
During their time at St Fitticks they used a solar panel to power their megaphones and electrical devices.
How will the protestors be getting home?
Many of the protestors traveled far to get to Aberdeen, including some from France, Ireland and Bristol.
Mr Nguyen said: “We are going home on public transport, bikes, buses, we have also rented a couple of vans to transport kit. We also have a couple of car shares.
“But no one has just driven up by themselves.”
Despite the over 150 people that stayed at the camp, organisers hope that they will leave the park in a better condition than when they arrived.
He added: “There were some beer cans when we first got here but we cleaned them up.”
“We hope to leave without a physical trace but with a trace in people’s minds.”
Will the campers be back?
It was Lindsay Kemp’s first time at a camp-based protest like this one.
The 34-year-old from Glasgow said: “It was worthwhile coming to something like this.
“Hopefully it has a ripple effect over time.
“We are not used to doing things in a big group. It’s different than doing it alone. It gives you power. It breaks down barriers.
“It makes you realise that you can do more than you can imagine.
“I will be back again 100%.”
Conversation