University to arm eco-warriors with legal sword and shield

Kirsty Scott

Guardian

Monday April 29, 2002

They have pursued polluters, challenged developers and chained themselves to trees. Now Britain’s eco-warriors have the chance to qualify in the art of environmental activism at university.

Sixteen campaigners have been accepted for the UK’s first course in “environmental justice”, which starts in Edinburgh this week. The year-long course is run jointly by Friends of the Earth and Queen Margaret University College. Graduates will be awarded a certificate in environmental justice, the first qualification of its kind in Britain.

Most of the first intake of students are seasoned activists who are already campaigning on environmental issues, including fish farming, landfill sites and industrial pollution.

As well as learning the basics of environmental science and planning issues, the class will study the legality of direct action and look at successful environmental campaigns across the world. They will be schooled in media and communications skills and learn how to access and interpret official documents.

Kevin Dunion, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said they had been inundated with applications for the course, which has been funded with £300,000 of lottery money.

“We have been astonished by the response,” he said. “More than 60 people applied for the 16 places. It is about schooling them in successful activism, not in terms of chaining themselves to anything, but using the system and knowing what their entitlements are and what their rights are.

“Over the years we have worked with many fantastic community activists who never have their experiences acknowledged and who have had no formal training.

“There are some very feisty people on the course who want to equip themselves with the skills and the certificate that goes with it.”

Ann Coleman, 52, from the village of Greengairs in Lanarkshire, applied for the course to help her fight the landfill sites that encircle the community. She has been secretary of the Greengairs action group for five years.

“This is the only way for us to become truly effective at what we are trying to do,” she said. “There are a lot of great people who are volunteering but they have no training and we don’t have a level playing field with the developers and the local authorities. This is going to make us more efficient. It is going to be absolutely invaluable.”

A fellow student, Andy Robinson, 40, of the Clydesdale opencast action group, said a qualification in environmental activism would allow him to hold his own against the legal teams employed by big business.

“It will allow us to be as clever as some of the developers are in using legislation. I was part of a public inquiry and I was asked what experience I had in planning law to allow me to make my case. I had none, but if I’m in that position again I can refer to my qualification.”

If the course is successful FoE hopes to expand it next year with a view to introducing courses at other UK institutions.

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