PROTESTERS from Brecon are involved in climate protests that have brought the centre of Cardiff to a standstill.

Climate activist movement Extinction Rebellion are disrupting key transport routes and occuping public spaces in central Cardiff, as part of a non-violent, coordinated uprising across England, Scotland and Wales. 

Among those involved are Charlie Ward and Sian Cox, from Brecon, who are locked onto a boat blocking the main road in front of Cardiff Castle.

Ms Cox said: "It is an urgent emergency, we have a very, very tiny window to be able to do something about this. The government has set a target of zero carbon by 2050 which is way, way too late. Climate change isn’t a linear process, it doesn’t go slowly, gradually getting worse, as each system starts to break down, it causes exponential change where it feeds into itself and starts going faster and faster. Scientists are saying that is already happening.

"There will come a point in various different earth systems, as they break down, where they’ll each go past a tipping point and once that happens, we wont be able to do anything to bring them back. For example, 70% of insect life has been lost in the last 40 or so years, but we need insects, they’re a vital link in our food chain, if we lose insects, we lose food.”

The rebels, who will cause disruption for a number of days, are calling on the UK government to act immediately to halt biodiversity loss and cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.

The Cardiff occupation and disruptions are part of a wider national rebellion called the ‘Summer Uprising’ that is taking place in five cities across the UK, Cardiff, London, Leeds and Glasgow.

Conservative AM Andrew RT Davies said the protests risk losing the support of the public.

He said: "“Tackling climate change is a hugely important issue and one which the majority of the public is fully behind.

“However, the one sure way to lose hearts and minds in such a battle is to disrupt hardworking people on their morning commute, which is what’s happened in Cardiff today.

“Governments at both ends of the M4 are taking action to ensure we lead the way in the global fight against climate change, so I hope these protestors will now do the right thing and bring this disruption to an end."

Ms Cox took part in Extinction Rebellion protests that brought days of disruption to central London in April this year with other protesters from mid and south Wales.