Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion has begun four days of action around the UK coast with a performance piece on Findhorn Beach in Moray.
The skit, which took place around 9am, was the first in a series that will form a ‘wave’ of ‘creative energy’ working south towards Carbis Bay in Cornwall.
It involved a group from Extinction Rebellion (XR) Forres acting as the rich and powerful, enjoying a lavish meal and making empty promises to act on the climate crisis as the seawater begins to rise around them.
The focus of the ‘Make the Wave’ action is on rising sea levels caused by global warming, and it will take place from today until Thursday – the day before a G7 summit is due to take place in the Cornish village.
‘Time has come for action’
Flo Spreadborough, 16, of XR Forres, said: “Time and time again our governments have promised action on climate change, and yet report after report is highlighting that we are close to reaching irreversible climate tipping points.
“It is possible that Greenland’s ice sheet may already have melted beyond the point of recovery, with sea levels likely to rise by up to 6m, enough to swamp many coastal cities around the world.”
A map created by nonprofit Climate Central and referenced by Extinction Rebellion shows parts of Forres among the areas projected to be below annual flood level by 2030.
Miss Spreadborough added: “My generation will be the first to really feel the effects of the climate crisis here in the UK and we want our government to do more.
“We are literally ‘drowning in promises’ – the time has come for action.”
The activists are calling for those in power to tell the truth to communities who may be affected by sea level rise, stop public funding and subsidies for fossil fuels, and stop the focus on higher sea defences as a way of combating the issue.
Last week, demonstrators from XR blocked access to Peterhead Power Station to protest site operator SSE’s sponsorship of the upcoming COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.