Bristol declares an Ecological Emergency: Extinction Rebellion Bristol’s response

We couldn’t be prouder that Bristol, the first city authority in the UK to declare a Climate Emergency has also become the first city to declare an Ecological Emergency.

We expect more firsts to follow. Bristol is a leader not a follower.

Mayor Marvin Rees’ statement has given us hope at a time where some were concerned that the city council was letting its values slip.

“It is not too late to start the recovery of our wildlife. We must work together to grasp this last chance and put things right for nature and wildlife in our city.” – Mayor Marvin Rees

Working together has been our aim from the beginning, and we look forward to collaborating with Bristol City Council to turn these words into real change.

Hopefully that can start right away, because this announcement comes less than a week before North Somerset council’s decision on the expansion of Bristol Airport. 

The Mayor still has time to weigh in on the debate. We believe he cannot ignore the disastrous impact of airport expansion and increased air traffic on the local environment and biodiversity of Bristol, as well as that of North Somerset and the South West region.

If the Mayor really is concerned about bees, hedgehogs and bats, we believe he would take into account the Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats, which are protected species.

The expanded airport would build thousands of parking spaces on green belt land close to areas of special scientific interest. Among the catastrophic impacts on the local environment, the light and noise pollution would be extremely detrimental to the habitat of these protected species.

Mayor Rees – please speak out against airport expansion.

We invite the Mayor to demonstrate his commitment to ecology and the environment by joining the vigil in Weston-super-Mare this weekend, to finally say “No” to the disastrous expansion plan for Bristol Airport.

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Read our open letter calling on Marvin Rees to oppose Bristol Airport expansion >