Swansea University Bay Campus shut down by residents and students campaigning against Fracking research

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Today at 6am, as part of the Reclaim the Power camp, concerned residents from Swansea, students and graduates, dressed as mad scientists, shut down construction of Swansea University’s Bay Campus.

There are two protestors locked on, one up a tripod and a number of the group are inside the site and have dropped a banner which says ‘No Fracking’. Outside the site the banner reads ‘Dim Ffracio’. The protesters were angered by tens of millions of public money being funnelled into research on fracking via Swansea University’s new Energy Safety Research Institute.

Swansea University is currently building a second campus and innovation park on land previously used by BP, who gifted it to the university. Funding for the project was made available by the Welsh Government.

Today’s action was part of Reclaim the Power, a six day camp in Blackpool, organised by local residents and a coalition of climate, social and economic activists. Over 1000 people have joined the camping taking part in direct action against gas drilling, as well as sharing skills and knowledge in a variety of workshops.[1]

.The research at Swansea’s Energy Safety Research Institute will be focused on long-term ‘strengths’ in petroleum and chemical processing – particularly fracking. The primary collaborator will be BP. Research on fracking already being funded by Research Councils UK has been focused on increasing the amount of gas that can be extracted.[2]

.The Norwegian committee on research ethics has told universities that fossil fuel research is ethically irresponsible if it contradicts the UN’s climate targets. Burning the gas extracted through fracking will mean we have no chance of meeting these targets.

Local resident Jac Bastian says “We are here today to stand with communities across Wales and the UK who are resisting their local areas becoming fracking sites. Not only is it dangerous and unnecessary but people across the UK don’t want it. If we are going to avoid dangerous climate change we need to leave unconventional gas in the ground.”

Heather Corvid, student, says “The fossil fuel industry is unequivocally driving us towards a global climate crisis: we will not keep dangerous climate change at bay without halting our extraction of fossil-fuels. Ironically the Bay Campus will end up under water if research they are doing means we frack our future.”[3]

Ends

 

 

Wales no fracking

 

Ataliwyd adeiladu ar gampws newydd Prifysgol Abertawe gan drigolion leol a myfyrwyr yn brotestio yn erbyn ymchwilio i ffracio

 Ataliwyd adaeiladu ar gampws newydd Prifysgol Abertawe heddiw gan grwp o fyfyrwyr a pobl leol wedi’u gwisgo fel gwyddonwyr gwyllt. Roedd y brotest yn rhan o wersyll gwrth-ffracio Reclaim the Power.

Digiwyd y protestywr gan gymaint o arian cyhoeddus a buddsoddwyd i ymchwilio ffracio trwy adran Energy Safety Research Institute newydd y bifysgol.

Mae Prifysgol Abertawe wrthi’n adeiladu ail gampws ar dir a rhoddwyd iddynt gan BP. Arianwyd y brosiect gan y Cynulliad.

Roedd y brotest yn rhan o Reclaim the Power, gwersyll chwe diwrnod yn Blackpool a drefnwyd gan bobl leol a chlymblaid o bobl yn sefyll dros gyfiawnder cymdeithasol, economaidd ac amgyleddol. Cymerodd dros mil o bobl rhan yn y brotest di drais yn erbyn y diwydiant nwy. [4]

Fe fydd ymchwil yr Energy Safety Research Institute yn debynol ar ‘gryfder’ hir-dymor prosesu petroliwm a chemegau, yn enwedig ffracio. BP bydd prif cydweithwyr yr adran. Ar yr arwyneb, edrycha honiad y brifysgol taw focws yr ymchwiliad bydd ‘peryglon ynghylch y ddatblygiad ac ehanghiad o brosesau egni’ yn addawol. Mewn gwirionedd, mae ymchwiliadau eraill i ffracio sydd yn barod yn cael ei ariannu ganResearch Councils UK yn ymgeisio cynyddu’r faint o nwy a all cael ei echdynnu. [5]

Dywedodd pwyllgor Norwyeg ar foeseg ymchwil bod prifysgolion sydd yn ymchwilio i danwyddau fossil yn anfoesol am ei fod yn gweithio yn erbyn targedau hinsawdd y CU. Pe losgwn y nwy a echdynnwyd drwy ffracio nid oes gobaith o gyraedd y targedau.

Dywedodd Jac Bastian o Abertawe “Heddiw, safwn gyda chymunedau ar draws Cymru a’r DU sydd yn brwydro yn erbyn ffracio yn eu hardaloedd. Nid yn unig ydy’n ddiangen ond hefyd mae’n beryglus a dydy pobl ar draws y DU ddim eisiau ffracio yn eu cymunedau. Os ydym yn dymuno osgoi cynhesu byd-eang peryglus mae’n rhaid cadw nwyon anghonfensiynol yn y ddaear.”

 Dywedodd myfyriwr, Heather Corvid “Mae’r diwydiant tanwydd fossil yn peryglu ein dyfodol trwy geisio llosgi’r tanwyddau sy’n gyrru cynhesu byd eang er mwyn creu elw. Heb atal yr echdyniad o danwyddau fossil does dim gobaith atal newid hinsawdd peryglus. Mae eironi i’r ffaith y bydd campws newydd y brifysgol dan y dyfroedd os fydd ei hymchwil yn galluogi cwmniau i ffracio â’n dyfodol.” [6]

 

[1] Further information on Reclaim the Power can be found at http://www.nodashforgas.org.uk/

[2] http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/project/E84A2A01-061C-451C-8F2F-90182C603A7D

[3] http://flood.firetree.net/

[4] Further information on Reclaim the Power can be found at http://www.nodashforgas.org.uk/

[5] http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/project/E84A2A01-061C-451C-8F2F-90182C603A7D

[6] http://flood.firetree.net/