This evening at half past nine Code Rood Amsterdam disrupted, in a festive manner, a meeting of the municipality of Diemen. During this meeting a vote was held on the controversial plan to build a huge biomass central between Ijburg and Diemen. A firm attempt was made to block the final vote with a banner and chants. With a pamphlet distributed to the members of the council, the climate protectors called for an end to the meeting, and for the members to go home.
The municipal council of Diemen is unanimously opposed to the plans of Nuon/Vattenfall. However, many of the council do not dare to vote against the companies plans. They are worried about damages claims threatened by Nuon/Vattenfall. The company stands to lose hundreds of millions of euro’s in subsidies if the municipality of Diemen does not green light the application. Code Rood Amsterdam and the concerned citizens of Ijburg and Diemen strongly object to the municipality being financially coerced to vote in agreement. The burning of biomass worsens the air quality, adds to global deforestation, and destroys the living environment of indigenous people. Additionally, it emits even more CO2 than coal! The biomass plans of Nuon/Vattenfall do nothing to contribute to responsible climate policy and should be halted immediately.
This action is specifically NOT an attack on the college and the members of the municipality. It is a statement of support and an encouragement to resist fossil fuel companies, even in the face of threats of damage claims from fossil fuel companies. Code Rood Amsterdam demands that:
- Nuon/Vattenfall publicly announces to not file a damage claim against the municipality of Diemen if they vote against.
- Minister Wiebes must immediately stop handing out subsidies to (wood) biomass projects and that the SDE monies are reserved for housing isolation and sustainable alternatives to gas.
- The government must stop making non-binding agreements with fossil fuel energy companies and start to implement rules and laws that limit the emission CO2 and other harmful gasses.