In this newsletter:

  • Editorial
  • 14 Sept: A12 blockage and support demo
  • Kick-off Geef Tegengas
  • The right to demonstrate at universities – talk to your union or council
  • Upcoming events
  • Local groups
  • Get involved!

Editorial

It's been a turbulent summer and start of the year but we hope that this newsletter finds you well-rested and full of energy for the new academic year, and for climate-related action.

Next to that, we hope that you'll join our in-person meeting in Utrecht on the 5th of October! We plan for a lot of brainstorming on what we, as S4F, can do for the climatological and political turbulence that the Netherlands and the rest of the world find themselves in, and aim for everyone to go home with a lot of positive energy. More info will follow, but mark Saturday 5 October in your diaries!

PS did you see that we already have more than 150 followers on LinkedIn? That's more than we dared to hope for in such a short time! Many people are moving away from other social media and we want to be able to stay in touch with each other, so please join us there or invite a colleague to join us, if you haven't yet!

14 Sept: A12 blockage and support demo

All information on the A12 blockage and A12 support demo on 14 September.

On Saturday 14 September, Extinction Rebellion is again blocking the A12 to demand an end to fossil fuel subsidies, which are madness in a climate emergency. Critically, the police said that they will NOT interfere with the protest because of their own strikes. This means that this action could be a game changer. You don't want to miss it!

If you want to join the action with Scientist Rebellion, please join their Signal group for more information. Their will also be a support demonstration, find more information about those on the A12 support website.

Kick-off Geef Tegengas

By Marjan Smeulders

From 28 August to 1 September activists from all over Europe gathered in Pernis and started a new movement: Geef Tegengas. This movement will take action against new fossil fuel infrastructure, such as the LNG terminal Gate that is being built in the port of Rotterdam and the planned gas drilling projects in the North Sea. The current fossil fuel infrastructure will already bring us far beyond 2C planetary heating. Complying with the Paris Agreement means no new fossil fuel projects. Scientists for Future NL sent a letter signed by more than 400 academics to the ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate 2 years ago. We asked to revoke the new permit to ONE Dyas to start drilling for gas 20 km north of Schiermonnikoog and next to the Natura 2000 area Borkum Stones. We never got a reply.

Geef Tegengas will step up the action against new gas infrastructure. During the action camp there were lectures on e.g. (financing of) LNG, the issues with H2, (neo) colonialism, extractivism, corporate power and militarisation, transboundary collaboration and workshops on e.g. banner painting and activist art. Our colleagues from Scientist Rebellion took part in the blockade of the Botlek Bridge on Saturday 31 August, which stopped traffic of dangerous, toxic loads on water and on road to the port of Rotterdam.

The right to demonstrate at universities – talk to your union or council

After two motions that limit the right to demonstrate at campuses were accepted in April, S4F wrote a letter to the Minister of Education, Culture and Science. If you wonder or are worried about your own right to demonstrate or how your university, institute or hogeschool deals with issues around this topic, you can contact local representatives of your union, for example through FNV or AOb, or your local works council.

Upcoming events

September

October

November

  • 4 November: national meeting (Zoom)
  • 11-14 November: national climate week

Read the PDF version here