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A 'sea change' in the public's attitude is all in a day's work for the Inverness area branch of Extinction Rebellion


By Donna MacAllister

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IT’S business as usual today for the Inverness area branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR).

The growing gang of climate campaigners have been pounding the streets with their placards, just like any other Friday morning.

But today of all days there's a rosier tinge to their cheeks and a livelier spring in their step.

Still revelling of the afterglow of yesterday's landmark decision by Highland Council to cave in to their demands and act stronger on climate change, their mood has a more jubilant tone.

"Yes! We did it," says local co-ordinator Elliott Blaauw, who leads the 50-strong group.

"We are congratulating ourselves for all those months of hard work. The councillors have been brave, they have stepped out of their comfort zone – so now we have to co-operate with them and help them to do what we have asked them to do."

Dingwall and Seaforth councillor Margaret Paterson greets the XR protestors with council leader Margaret Davidson also in the frame. Pic by Peter Maclean.
Dingwall and Seaforth councillor Margaret Paterson greets the XR protestors with council leader Margaret Davidson also in the frame. Pic by Peter Maclean.

Councillors yesterday supported XR's call for faster action to be taken to help combat climate change – and it has declared a "climate emergency".

The council has pledged to set up its first even climate change panel.

Members are tasked to figure out how the Highland area can remove or offset all the carbon it produces, by 2025.

Other measures approved in a motion forwarded by the council leader Margaret Davidson include "considering and recommending any new targets and priorities" for the council’s corporate plan by June 2019.

And targeting areas for behavioural change, such as plastic reduction, are also on the radar.

Cllr Pippa Hadley hopes the move will spark a "sea change".
Cllr Pippa Hadley hopes the move will spark a "sea change".

Afterwards, the council’s only Green Party councillor, Pippa Hadley, who adamantly put XR's demand to councillors in chamber as an amendment to Cllr Davidson's motion, said: "I know there's no magic wand but this could lead to a whole sea change in attitude."

See Tuesday's Inverness Courier for the full story.


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