On Wednesday 23rd September 2009 climate activists stopped work at the controversial Ffoss-y-fran opencast coalmine near Merthyr Tydfil, doing their bit to keep coal in the ground and switch to clean energy to avoid runaway climate change.

This action was part of a growing movement of people addressing the root causes of climate change. The endless pursuit of economic growth on a finite planet is the driving force behind climate change and this action shows how effective ordinary people can be, with just two people bringing Wales’ biggest coalmine to a standstill.

Following the inaugural Climate Camp Cymru last month, this action drew international attention to UK government hypocrisy on climate change and ensured the people of Wales played their part in the growing global movement of climate action. Experts agree that globally emissions must peak by 2015 or earlier if we are to avoid runaway climate chaos.

“Coal is nearly all carbon and must be left in the ground” said Paul Jones, from a net suspended above the site’s access road. “Ffos-y-Fran is a big black hole in the climate change policies of our governments, we must switch to clean energy to avoid climate chaos!”

“Action like this is essential to bring home the urgency to politicians in the build up to Copenhagen” Dr. Larch Maxey, from Swansea University said, “Climate change is already killing three hundred thousand people every year , yet our politicians push polluting fuels like coal to chase economic growth at any cost. To stop climate chaos we must leave fossil fuels in the ground”

For more information see www.climatecampcymru.org