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\nOver 60 people occupied the AGL Energy head office in Melbourne this morning siting down on the 23rd floor offices of this energy producer and retailer. Several people locked themselves together on the 23rd floor. A number of climate guardian angels locked on to the front doors at street level. Why were they there?\n<\/p>\n
\nAGL Energy, once regarded as a relatively green and environmentally friendly electricity producer, has in recent years bought and accumulated assets in black and brown coal generation and coal seam gas exploration. It is now a major source and polluter of carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
Along with it’s transformation into a major carbon polluting company, it has also argued strongly for changes to the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme arguing the Large Scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) should be abolished and existing arrangements grandfathered, and also the Small-Scale Renewable Energy Target (SRET) which residential households and small businesses use to install solar panels, should also be abolished.\n<\/p>\n
\nHere is a description by Giles Parkinson from Reneweconomy<\/em> on AGL Energy<\/a> from June 2014: <\/p>\n \n“Once the greenest of Australia\u2019s biggest retailers, AGL Energy has changed its priorities since taking advantage of knock down prices to buy the Loy yang A brown coal generator in Victoria (Australia\u2019s largest emitter), and seeking to buy the 4.6GW Macquarie black coal generators in NSW. <\/p>\n \n“AGL now says that the large scale target of 41,000GWh will be impossible to meet \u2013 a claim rejected by renewable developers and big international equipment providers such as GE and Vestas \u2013 although it does not say by how much the target should be diluted. “AGL Energy, however, does call for the removal of the rooftop solar component of the RET. <\/p>\n \n\u201cHousehold solar PV now no longer requires subsidies to be an attractive proposition for households.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \nAGL offices have been occupied! #floodpolluters<\/a> #fossilfools<\/a> #nonviolence<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qYSPo8i2zx<\/a><\/p>\n — MooseTheMoose (@Moosethemoose) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nSo many people here to peacefully protest AGL polluting #floodpolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zyJ28TDk8z<\/a><\/p>\n — MooseTheMoose (@Moosethemoose) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n60+ Australians concerned about #climate<\/a> change have occupied the headquarters of AGL to peacefully protest polluters. #FloodPolluters<\/a><\/p>\n — Quit Coal (@QuitCoalOz) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nOccupying the office of agl energy #floodpolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4QGIoZvdE2<\/a><\/p>\n — Nicola Paris (@peacenicsta) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nAGL invests in #climate<\/a> chaos. Phase out investments in #fossilfuels<\/a> or these protests will continue. #FloodPolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NJsm6sD2k0<\/a><\/p>\n — Daniel Sullivan (@ddsSully) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nPolice have arrived at peaceful occupation of AGL offices Melb #thischanges<\/a> #theyknowthisishappening<\/a> #floodpolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/tVnQbj7HM2<\/a><\/p>\n — Jane Morton (@SafeClimate) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n#FloodPolluters<\/a> spokesperson: "We\u2019ve lobbied governments for years yet #climate<\/a> change continues to accelerate at a dangerous pace."<\/p>\n — Quit Coal (@QuitCoalOz) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nVideo of #AGL<\/a> sit-in happening right now! Big polluters are only going to keep feeling the heat! http:\/\/t.co\/c7FGYA7SJm<\/a>. #FloodPolluters<\/a><\/p>\n — 350Australia (@350Australia) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nProtestors speak about why they are sitting-in at #AGL<\/a> headquarters: https:\/\/t.co\/wwckCoDdwN<\/a> #FloodPolluters<\/a> Doesn't Pay to Be a Polluter!<\/p>\n — 350Australia (@350Australia) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nPolice Search and Rescue have arrived to deal with locked on protestors #floodpolluters<\/a> @AGLEnergy<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/HmnwvKcshb<\/a><\/p>\n — Chloe Aldenhoven (@caldenhoven) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n6 people locked on on 23rd floor, 4 locked on at main entrance. #floodpolluters<\/a> #floodwallstreet<\/a> #auspol<\/a><\/p>\n — Nick Carson (@nrcars) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nBig cheers to all those brave citizens sitting-in at @aglenergy<\/a> today! http:\/\/t.co\/4pPQMFxBLU<\/a> #floodpolluters<\/a><\/p>\n — AYCC (@AYCC) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nConcerned citizens occupy #AGL<\/a> headquarters to protest their attacks on the #RET<\/a> #FloodPolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3Hll9d8yzE<\/a><\/p>\n — 350Australia (@350Australia) October 8, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nCatherine is here because its urgent. "We need large corporations to stop fossil fuel use NOW" #floodpolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/fSwAuXN8xh<\/a><\/p>\n — Nicola Paris (@peacenicsta) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nWe have been kicked out of @aglenergy<\/a> as search and rescue prepare to cut our 7 lockons off #floodpolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/CsXDLve489<\/a><\/p>\n — Nicola Paris (@peacenicsta) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nNail biting as police prepare to remove protestors from #AGL<\/a> headquarters. #FloodPolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/3652oTOnZf<\/a><\/p>\n — 350Australia (@350Australia) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nTwo taken out of tge building so far: #floodpolluters<\/a> #auspol<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/166212VDeV<\/a><\/p>\n — Nick Carson (@nrcars) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nClimate Angels got AGL covered out front as SES cut off those locked on upstairs incl a WACA member #FloodPolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dqjBSdxtKb<\/a><\/p>\n — WACA (@akaWACA) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nAll 6 from the 23rd floor have been taken downstairs now. Weeew! Awsum job for the climate & our future! #floodpolluters<\/a> #auspol<\/a><\/p>\n — Nick Carson (@nrcars) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nProtestors emerge after 4-hour sit-in to protest #AGL<\/a>'s attacks on the #RET<\/a>. #FloodPolluters<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JxDqtpoLqv<\/a><\/p>\n — 350Australia (@350Australia) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nClimate Guardian: “If the government won’t listen to scientists, then maybe they’ll listen to angels. What we are saying to them is, it isn’t your place to put our children’s future in jeopardy.”\n<\/p>\n AGL – you're adding to the problem when you could be part of the solution…
#floodpolluters<\/a> #government<\/a>-inaction http:\/\/t.co\/snh8bwlUpU<\/a><\/p>\n — John Knox (@ridethetalk) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Why do we still burn fossil fuels when there's a better way that will afford our kids a future??? #floodpolluters<\/a> http:\/\/t.co\/JXdkZawVtx<\/a><\/p>\n — John Knox (@ridethetalk) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nProtesters shut down AGL office in Melbourne https:\/\/t.co\/iHyf9G6D4P<\/a> #FloodPolluters<\/a> #auspol<\/a><\/p>\n — greenleftweekly (@greenleftweekly) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \nPeaceful #AGL<\/a> occupation in the #SunHerald<\/a>: http:\/\/t.co\/mb8LOrgKve<\/a>. #FloodPolluters<\/a><\/p>\n — 350Australia (@350Australia) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n AGL targeted in protest over RET changes, fossil fuel development
#ProtectGloucester<\/a> frm #csg<\/a>
http:\/\/t.co\/LIJBtzpmee<\/a> via @renew_economy<\/a><\/p>\n — megan (@mrl58) October 9, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nHow the protest unfolded on twitter:<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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More videos of why the protest occurred<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Media reports from Greenleft Weekly, the Herald Sun and RenewEconomy<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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