The Fossil Fuel London group find inspiration through the power of song

A CLIMATE group has launched workshops to get people inspired to sing about the climate crisis.

Fossil Free London is a climate activist group that started around six years ago initially with five or six members but has since grown to become a group of over 60 climate activists.

They aim to spread the message of the climate crisis and organise against the use of fossil fuels through protest and singing. Last Tuesday the group had their first session at the Euston Foodbank in Somers Town where they sang melodies of classic songs like the Beatles’ Let It Be, or the Eagles’ Hotel California to rewritten lyrics to convey their climate protests.

Rosie, one of the campaigners with Fossil Free London, said: “We use creative and consistent protests to do that and to work to shift public perception and take away the social licence of these businesses to operate.

“We are working towards a fossil-free future in London and there’s so many different ways we do that. We view ourselves as a welcoming and warm entry point to the climate movement and we’re a real breadth of people from all walks of life, of all different ages who have formed this community to take climate action together.

“At Fossil Free London we think there should be joy brought into climate action and the climate movement and one of the ways we can do that is through music and singing.

“We stand in solidarity with the wider climate movement, but we’re distinct with what we do and how we do it and we all have a part to play. The thing we really stress is there are so many roles and parts in the climate movement. We’re offering something a little different, you can sing to take climate action.”

Fossil Free London organised the protest last October outside the Intercontinental Hotel which saw Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg arrested. The case was thrown out by the judge in February of this year who said the Crown had not presented enough evidence to prosecute Ms Thunberg and four other climate protesters.

This Saturday Fossil Free London will be protesting against the expansion of City Airport at the Department for Transport where later this summer they will make a decision about plans for the expansion of the airport.