Extinction Rebellion supporters in Hyde Park prior to a march across central London.

Never has the issue of climate change been more urgent. The most recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, published on 4 April 2022, stated that drastic action was needed immediately in order to prevent a climate catastrophe that would mean millions becoming refugees and millions more suffering from malnutrition and famine.

This would require an immediate halt to any investment in or expansion of fossil fuel production. However, despite the stark warning, the UK government is determined to continue investment in North Sea oil and gas, seemingly dedicated to accelerating climate change..

Professor Jim Skea, co-chair of the working group at the IPCC responsible for determining the best measures for mitigating climate change, declared "It's now or never, if we want to limit global warming to 1.5C. Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible.'

Realising that years of petitioning and protests had failed to persuade the British government of the need for immediate and profound measures to reduce emissions, Extinction Rebellion decided to launch a week of direct action across Britain. In London, this started on the weekend of 9 and 10 April, with climate change activists marching through central London, for two days of protests which included sit down blockades of Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges. On Lambeth Bridge a group of doctors and nurses refused to leave and were arrested by the police.

According to the group website Doctorsforxr.com, 'Doctors for Extinction Rebellion is a doctors' collective who, appreciating that climate change is an impending public health catastrophe, have decided to undertake civil disobedience with Extinction Rebellion.