Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior III ship to arrive in Sunderland as part of campaign for renewable energy
A Greenpeace vessel is set to arrive in Sunderland next week as campaigners call on the UK government to deliver a transition to renewable energy without ‘leaving communities behind’.
The 190ft-long, Rainbow Warrior III vessel will arrive for the first time in Sunderland dock on Tuesday (July 27) morning as part of its Just Transition Tour.
On Tuesday campaigners will set up a 42-ft wind turbine blade on the deck of the ship before oil and gas workers and politicians are to be invited to sign the blade in support of a ‘just transition’ to renewable energy.
Greenpeace is calling on the UK government to deliver a transition so that industry workers ‘have the opportunity to access sustainable jobs’ in sectors like offshore wind and decommissioning.
Mel Evans, head of Greenpeace UK’s oil campaign said: “We stand in solidarity with oil and gas workers, who are currently being ignored by politicians.
“Offshore workers have powered our economy through some really difficult times, and have plenty of transferable skills that will be vital to our transition to renewable energy.
“Energy Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who is herself an MP in the north east of England, must sit down with offshore workers, and take urgent action to make the funds, retraining opportunities and jobs available to make the UK’s clean energy transition a success.”
Earlier this month, environmentalists visited Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee where hundreds of signatures were collected.
The arrival of the Greenpeace 190-ft yacht in Sunderland on Tuesday will mark the tour’s first stop in England.
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Published: 23-07-2021
