DOZENS of local climate activists travelled to London recently to protest against licenses granted for new oil and gas explorations, and the watering down of environmental regulations.

The South Hams protesters demonstrated outside the Government’s Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy HQ.

To the sound of birdsong, they highlighted the drastic decline in British bird species between 1970 and 1999, including garden favourites the starling, whose numbers have dropped by 71 per cent over the past three decades; the tree sparrow which has seen a 95 per cent decline; and bullfinch numbers which have dropped by 52 per cent.

The protesters explained the clear link to the climate emergency and the lack of urgent government action.

Dartington resident, Erica Lewis said: “Biodiversity has declined alarmingly in half a century: over 25,000 species, almost a third of those known, are in danger of dying out.

“Climate change is accelerating the sixth extinction and the continued burning of fossil fuels is largely responsible.’’

Also taking part were the Dartmoor-based Extinction Rebellion ‘Green Spirits,’ who made a sombre appearance, signifying the grief and loss felt by so many ordinary people.

Totnes activist Lu Overy said: “We will keep making our voices heard until our government adopts a much better strategy to transition carefully to a green economy, based not on destructive unlimited growth but on people’s welfare, green jobs and the urgent  necessity to stop further breakdown of climate and biodiversity.’’

The protestors then joined  thousands of others in Downing Street taking the message of ‘no new oil’ directly to the prime minister.