The British government condemned Insulate Britain, a group of social activists who made bold moves in the country to take a stand against the British government. It is not abnormal for a social activist group to perform an unconventional stance in the streets while disturbing the peace. Social activists can erupt at any time, especially when their demands are not met. Such groups are known for confronting administrations deemed to be mistreating people, so it comes as no surprise to the British authorities to have marauding people claiming to be the voice of the voiceless.
Insulate Britain is a campaigning organization that launched recently, and its mandate is linked to the insulation of residential areas. This group is “calling for a national program to ensure homes are insulated to be low energy by 2030”.
The social activists have stated two demands to the UK government which need to be addressed immediately. The first demand was “That the UK government immediately promises to fully fund and take responsibility for the insulation of all social housing in Britain by 2025” [Source]. The second one stated, “That the UK government immediately promises to produce within four months a legally binding national plan to fully fund and take responsibility for the full low-energy and low-carbon whole-house retrofit, with no externalized costs, of all homes in Britain by 2030 as part of a just transition to full decarbonization of all parts of society and the economy”.
Embedded in the group’s vision is the need to address climate change that threatens life on earth and sets unbearable conditions upon mankind. “Humanity is at a pivotal crossroads: accelerated human-caused global heating is threatening to destroy human civilization unless urgent action is taken to rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The science is not disputed, and now is the time to act”.
Their actions are related to enhancing their living conditions, and they said, “Improving the quality of our homes fundamental to achieve the British Government’s climate change, fuel poverty, and water reduction targets.” The UK is one of the leading countries that are working towards the attainment of zero carbon emissions. British authorities have been involved in electric cars and nuclear fission projects to achieve this goal.
However, Insulate Britain contends that its government is slacking and needs to implement real plans since it will host the global climate conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November this year.
As a point of its outcry, Insulate Britain stated that “The UK has some 29 million homes, and they are the oldest and least energy-efficient housing stock in Europe. Every year cast amounts of precious energy are wasted in heating and, increasingly, cooling our buildings”. And this prompted them to form a united front that would persuade the government to make changes.
But the British authorities were not happy with the methods used by Insulate Britain. On 13 October, members from this group filled the streets, barricading crucial roads and causing havoc by causing traffic jams [Source]. Essex Police arrested about 54 people and detained 16 who were participating in the protests. The group closed main roads in London, including M1, M4, and M25, while barricading key routes such as the Old Street roundabout. Various videos were posted online in which angry drivers were seen fighting with the protesters and dragging them out of the roads to clear their routes. These drivers’ actions are justifiable as protests from a newly formed group ruined their day.
The British government expressed disappointment at the protests and condemned the group. Prime Minister Boris Johnson described these activists as “irresponsible crusties” blamed them for “doing considerable damage to the economy” [Source]. Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer noted how people are allowed to protest but Insulate Britain was “not necessarily doing it in the most constructive way.” Some citizens did not appreciate disturbances on the roads and urged Insulate Britain to find other better means of persuading Johnson’s administration. Others made a call to police to arrest everyone who became a nuisance in the British streets. From an onlooker’s point of view, it is unfair for every citizen to suffer whenever certain individuals protest.
Despite these backlashes, Insulate Britain defended its tactics and argued that they are essential in getting the required results. They are against Johnson’s slow and relaxed reaction towards a critical climate change issue while he exerts a lot of effort on other “trivial matters.” Insulate Britain has suspended its protests for 11 days until 25 October as they are targeting the beginning of COP26 on 31 October. Because they have shown their disruptive nature, British authorities might be prepared to put a cap on any disruptive actions that Insulate Britain will perform in the near future.
