The UK has introduced draconian laws against these protests (with the help of oil industry lawyers) Some are serving five-year jail sentences for planning action and that exceeds many sentences handed out for violent crime. I have been following environmental issues for decades, and though I hear much talk about what we should be doing, most of these actions are either pathetic or get drowned out by other more popular events.

When I first witnessed some of the action being taken by activists I was shocked and a little disappointed. They have, however, put the cause back in the limelight and nobody else was doing that. Every cause, be it ending slavery, the suffragettes, ending apartheid etc has inconvenienced certain groups. Part of human nature seems to be that we won't change unless we are prodded in some way. If you can suggest that route, then I am all ears. For now, I'm behind the activists.