The Weald Action Group is an umbrella for local groups campaigning against exploration for and extraction of oil & gas across the Weald and the Isle of Wight in the South East of England.
Our aims are to:
- train and empower community groups across the area effectively to campaign against the expansion of fossil fuel exploration
- provide networking opportunities and skill shares for groups
- lobby decision makers on the key issues for our campaigns: acidisation/fracking; climate change; keeping decision making local; other impacts from oil and gas exploration and production
- communicate our campaigns.
We send out a newsletter roughly once a month, sharing information on oil drilling applications and opportunities to get involved in campaigns against extreme energy. And we hold meetings approximately twice a year, providing opportunities for networking and skill sharing.
Our achievements so far include:
- opposing the UKOG injunction against “persons unknown” which included a clause against any lawful activity that affected their economic interests. We found representatives from injuncted areas (Horse Hill, Markwells Wood, Broadford Bridge) to stand as defendants and we crowdfunded a legal team to defend the case. The injunction was reduced in scope and is due to go to a full trial at the end of 2020.
- organised sending a letter from academics to Greg Clark (then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) asking for a moratorium on drilling because of the Surrey swarm of earthquakes. Weald Action Group member was then asked to give evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Impact of Shale Gas on the subject of seismicity
- holding an open meeting at Balcombe, Sussex where a leading planning QC briefed about 50 people on the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework
- briefed the extensive WAG network as part of the “Let Communities Decide” campaign to stop fast tracking fracking – plans later dropped by the Government.
Our members
The members of the Weald Action Group are the local groups campaigning around the South East on extreme fossil fuel extraction. Member groups cover an area from the Isle of Wight, through Hampshire to Surrey and Sussex.
If your group isn’t involved and wants to be then please get in touch at info[at]wealdactiongroup.org.uk