Climate Camp: US anti-fracking group shows support for activists in Grangemouth

The camp, which is located in Kinneil Estate, in Bo’ness, was just set up on Wednesday and now community groups based in Pennsylvania in the USA have sent a message of support to participants.

Representatives from Watchdogs of Southeastern Pennsylvania (WASEPA) stated: "We stand in solidarity with Climate Camp Scotland and all those impacted by Ineos and their toxic ethane cracker facility.

"This toxic system needs to be taken down. Pennsylvania is a sacrifice zone of the extraction industry. There must be no sacrifice zones. We suffer the impacts as

fence-line and frontline communities, yet we will not stop exposing the harms and resisting the perpetuation of a climate catastrophe.

"We cannot look to those in power for change, we must realize that we are the change. Be the change."

Climate Camp Scotland added Ineos Grangemouth, as well as being home to an oil refinery, also imports fracked gas across the Atlantic – much of it coming from Pennsylvania, due to there being a ban on fracking in place in Scotland since 2017.

Jessica Gaitan Johannesson, of Climate Camp Scotland, said: “Fracking is effectively banned in Scotland, because of its disastrous environmental and health impacts.

By importing fracked gas from Pennsylvania, Ineos is effectively exporting those hazards.

"It’s a colonial practice which makes these places into sacrifice zones, alongside Grangemouth itself. We are here to show that this will not stand, and that different futures for all these communities are possible.”

Earlier today Ineos responded directly to the presence of the Climate Camp just a mile away from its Kinneil terminal, stating it hoped the camp would “consider the safety of themselves and be respectful to the town and those around them whilst enjoying a peaceful event”.

The Ineos spokesperson added: “"Ineos is one of the last remaining large scale manufacturing companies in Scotland. We provide many of the basic raw materials that

are essential to many of the products that we all use on a daily basis.

"From mobile phones, to water and gas pipes, to medical products, cars, buses and trains, tents, waterproofs and training shoes. Even wind turbines and solar cells need the products made here by thousands of skilled workers.

“We are committed to delivering these products safely and maintaining thousands of direct and indirect jobs, whilst working towards being a net zero manufacturer by

2045.

"And we are making good progress, significantly reducing the emissions from our operations. Since buying the Grangemouth site, Ineos has already reduced emissions by nearly 40 per cent.

"Our next step, to use hydrogen and carbon capture via the Acorn project, will make our reduction >65%. Our Road Map beyond this will reduce this further to net zero

by 2045.

"This is our home, where we operate a safe sustainable business that serves the Scottish economy well, provides skilled jobs and essential products whilst meeting its climate responsibilities.”