By renewing Drax 'forest burning' subsidies Ed Miliband is killing the planet - Stop Burning Trees

Stop Burning Trees (SBT) is a grassroots coalition working to end all subsidies for wood fueled power stations. The coalition was founded in 2022 by a mixture of environmental, social and worker justice groups in Yorkshire and now has a national membership. We now have 25 membership groups, three thousand supporters and 50 active members, and has become a crucial organisation in the fight against Drax. We connect each element of the campaign, both resourcing the grassroots folk fighting Drax and supporting political push through NGOs and unions. https://stopburningtrees.org

Axe Drax is a UK based grassroots network that actively opposes Drax through disruptive direct action. We campaign for an end to Drax’s subsidies, due to the environmental, societal and planetary impacts of burning trees for energy. We are building a broad based network, working in solidarity with frontline communities to effectively confront the environmentally destructive biomass industry and the social and economic forces driving climate change. https://axedrax.uk

Activists occupy consultancy firm over renewal of Drax subsidies

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/activists-occupy-consultancy-firm-over-renewal-drax-subsidies

ACIVISTS occupied the London offices of a lobbyist for Drax power plant today, protesting against the government’s decision to bankroll Britain’s top carbon emitter.

Labour announced yesterday that it will provide subsidies to the wood-burning power plant for at least four more years.

The plant has received billions from taxpayers because it is classed as a source of renewable energy, a claim long disputed by campaigners as it emits the largest amount of carbon in Britain.

Drax has also been fined £25 million by Ofgem for misreporting where its wood is sourced from after a BBC investigation found that it had used wood from environmentally important forests in Canada.

This morning, 20 activists from Axe Drax occupied the offices of 5654 & Company, a corporate affairs consultancy they say lobbies for the power station, with staff forced to leave for the day as a result, according to the campaign group.

Rosie, who only shared her first name, from Axe Drax said: “The decision to back Drax is a disaster for the climate and our energy bills.

“Funding the biggest carbon emitter in the UK in the name of green energy is insane.

“It is time for Labour to dump Drax and their lobbyists, not double down support.

“We are sick of their unaccountable power, while millions of us have our bills hiked.”

The government announced that while Drax’s current subsidies will end in 2027, ministers will extend them until at least 2031.

However, it will take on a “much more limited role” going forward, a government statement said, with subsidies being reduced by half.

5654 & Company was contacted for comment.