James Hansen Issues Video Call To Action to Stop Coal

A poster for the Capitol Climate Action, planned for March 2 in Washington, D.C., calls for "Mass Civil Disobedience at the Coal-Fired Capitol Power Plant," and leading climate scientist James Hansen has just issued a video inviting mass participation. He says in the video:

What has become clear from the science is that we cannot burn all of the fossil fuels without creating a very different planet. The only practical way to solve the problem is to phase out the biggest source of carbon, and that is coal. The science is very clear on that, but the decision makers are not taking the actions needed to do that. We have to send that message to Congress and the President.

Thousands of peole are already expected to participate in the protest, and interest is surging as the date gets closer. On a web site set up for the Capitol Climate Action, organizers explain why the Capitol Power Plant is the target:

The Capitol Power Plant, sitting just blocks from Capitol Hill, symbolizes the stranglehold coal has over our government and future. It’s not the largest or the dirtiest power plant in the country, but as the plant that is actually run by and for Congress it serves as an incredibly iconic symbol of what is wrong with our country’s energy and climate policy.

From being outdated and inefficient, to burning dirty fossil fuels including coal, to having its clean-up blocked by politicians pandering to coal industry interests, we see this plant as the strategic target to address our concerns.

The action is being organized as a non-violent protest, with non-violence training provided to all participants. The aim of the protest?

In general, our intent is to block off access to the Capitol Power Plant by surrounding the entrances, peacefully refuse to leave when asked, and safely disrupt its operations for the day. If by doing so we risk arrest, so be it. We will reflect the growing global movement that is not quietly asking for, but demanding, climate justice.

Full details at http://www.capitolclimateaction.com.