Frome members of Extinction Rebellion were involved in a weekend of actions to highlight the impact of travel on the climate.

Activists draped banners on the A303 with messages for long weekend holidaymakers with messages which included "What matters to you most? Caring communities or corporate control?"

The action was part of a nationwide protest by Extinction Rebellion announcing the start of a rebellion and protesting government inaction on the climate and ecological emergency.

All through the south west, banners, placards and billboard messages were displayed in over 60 locations on key routes into the region, in town centres and on seaside piers. Other high visibility locations included the M5 and M50 in Gloucestershire, the A303 and the A30 and A38 through Devon and Cornwall.

The action comes in the wake of a series of studies which show that scientists worst case predictions for climate change are being exceeded while even progressive nations are failing to cut emissions fast enough to meet the Paris agreement targets.

In June, the government's Committee on Climate Change (CCC) warned all departments to prepare for "a minimum 2°C rise in global temperature with consideration of 4°C." The Paris Climate Agreement recognised 1.5°C as a desirable limit, and the CCC has advised that 4°C is the threshold of extreme danger.[1]

Jenny Shackleford from Frome said: "As we halteringly return to a 'normal' that is destroying the natural world it is time again to act."

The group added: " Extinction Rebellion is urging the government to adopt the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill, a new law written with contributions from prominent scientists and academics. If the CEE Bill is made law, the government would be obliged to act fast, accounting for our entire carbon footprint while actively conserving nature here and overseas and involving everyday people in decision making through a citizen's assembly with real legislative power."