Drax meeting targeted by climate protesters in London

Broadcaster Chris Packham and members of the Axe Drax campaign group gathered outside the meeting at 133 Houndsditch in the City of London today (Thursday, April 25).

Dozens of protesters crowded the building’s entrance with banners reading: “Stop burning trees” and “Invest in green energy”, and shouting “Axe Drax. Reparations now”.

The firm, which runs the UK’s largest power station near Selby in North Yorkshire and burns wood pellets to generate electricity, has been accused of causing environmental destruction and pollution across its supply chain.

As the meeting began, chief executive Will Gardiner and chairwoman Andrea Bartone were repeatedly interrupted by protesters who were then carried from the room by members of the security team.

The chaotic scene saw people trying to storm the stage and delivering a choir rendition of “Hit the Road Drax”.

Investors at the Drax  meetings voted in favour of all resolutions with no shareholder revolts.

Handout photo issued by Axe Drax of broadcaster Chris Packham and members of the Axe Drax campaign group protesting outside the Drax AGM in the City of London on Thursday (Image: PA)

Environmental protesters have been increasingly targeting the annual general meetings (AGMs) of companies associated with or accused of producing high emissions.

Ahead of the Drax AGM, Mr Packham said: “In a global biodiversity crisis, you cannot justify felling and transporting wood from some of the planet’s most precious natural resources.

“It’s a disgrace that Drax is receiving huge subsidies meant for genuine renewables, it is past time to stop funding Drax’s destruction.”

The company receives money funded by energy bill payers because the electricity produced from burning wood pellets is classified as renewable.

But critics say this can only create carbon-neutral energy if companies use sustainable wood in their boilers.

Investigations by the BBC and others alleged that Drax sources from environmentally important forests.

Elsewhere, the firm has faced claims that pollution from wood pellet plants has caused health issues among residents of nearby local communities in the US.

Krystal Martin, a resident of Gloster, Mississippi – where Drax operates a pellet plant, travelled from the US to the UK for the meeting to confront Mr Gardiner.

Ahead of the meeting, she said: “We are tired of false promises and being ignored. People in my town are being harmed and we want the UK government to wake up and pay attention.

“If they give Drax more money, more people will be harmed. They must listen to us now before it’s too late.”

Drax has said it is confident its biomass is sustainable and disputed claims that its operations are having adverse impacts on communities.

On Tuesday, the company announced 250,000 (£200,000) dollars to create a fund for Gloster as part of ongoing community engagement efforts.

But Ms Martin said: “This is really an insult especially after the many years of physical, mental, emotional, and financial harm they have caused to the people in the community.”

In a statement, a Drax spokesperson said: “AGMs are the cornerstone of shareholder democracy.

“Unfortunately, some activists, who set out to disrupt the event and intimidate attending shareholders and Drax employees, were removed or prevented from attending the meeting. Safety and environmental compliance are our top priority.

“Drax is committed to ensuring the biomass we source delivers positive outcomes for the climate, for nature and for the communities in which we operate.”