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Lakenheath Peace Camp

MESSAGING PACK

FRAMING

Heal The Earth.jpg Assets available from Lakenheath Peace Camp - XRUK Social Media Posts

What is it?

A two-week peace camp, protesting against the return of US nuclear weapons to Britain.

The camp will be entirely based on nonviolent direct action. It is organised by the Lakenheath Alliance for Peace (LAP) made up of 56 organisations, including XR Peace.

Key messaging

It's (pretty much) all about oil: The Lakenheath base has been involved in many of the recent wars for oil.

Escalating war: The return of nuclear weapons to the base will escalate tensions when global cooperation is needed more than ever in light of the climate and ecological emergency (CEE).

Time to come togheter, not fight: As climate change and ecological breakdown affect food and water supplies, it is essential that we find peaceful means to deal with societal collapse - not default to armed aggression.

Emissions from military: The military, in particular the US Air Force, is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Nuclear weapons harm to climate and nature: XR is protesting at Lakenheath RAF due to concerns over the storage and potential use of US nuclear weapons, which we know have an irreversible and catastrophic impact on the climate, nature and all life on earth.

Climate and environmental impact of the base: The base's operations contribute to military emissions and environmental degradation, which contributes and exacerbates the climate and ecological crisis.

Threats to peace are threats to climate and nature: We know the presence of nuclear weapons makes peace vulnerable. The connection between militarisation and ecological destruction is clear, the only way we are going to prevent climate and ecological breakdown is if we avoid war and conflicts.

War isn’t just fought on battlefields: Millions are forced from their homes by bombs, droughts, rising seas, and burning forests. War and climate breakdown displace people alike — two sides of the same coin, funded by the same governments.

What is the problem?

RAF Lakenheath is in reality USAF Lakenheath (i.e. American, not British) and is the largest US airbase in Europe. Its Air Force units maintain combat-ready wings that are pledged to NATO.

USAF Lakenheath is a base used to deploy weapons and military aircraft to conflicts around the world, including Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, Libya, Syria, the Middle East and East Africa. Now with nuclear weapons coming back, the potential destruction deployed from this base is even more severe.

With Donald Trump back in the White House, the threats to humanity and all life on earth are real.

The arms industry is highly profitable and governments do not want to stop this lucrative business; our present economic system needs wars to survive. The UK Government, amongst others, continues to sell arms and provide resources to countries like Israel, ignoring the toll on human life, biodiversity, and rampant emissions.

Why is XRUK getting involved?

Militarism is one of the central pillars of the carbon intensive, exploitative, industrial system that is driving the climate and ecological crisis.

Climate change causes war and war causes climate change. Environmental destruction and biodiversity loss follow in the wake of war. About 5.5 - 6% of global carbon emissions are from military activity. Climate change is already a significant cause of conflicts and is a key factor driving the refugee crisis, both from food shortages and climate induced conflicts. We cannot stop, or at least slow down, rapid climate and ecological breakdown without addressing militarism.

The developments at Lakenheath are actively promoting the expansion of the fossil fuel industry, accelerating the nuclear arms race and turning the UK and Europe into a nuclear front line, even more dangerous than the Cold War was.

For people concerned about defence

  • XRUK is a broad church and we do not judge those who are concerned about the nuclear threat from other countries. We are all scared, we all want to save the planet.
  • These are American nukes, on an American base. Who is in charge of the US right now? Do you still believe having these nukes here is a good idea?
  • There has been no consultation with the British public, the local communities, the local councils. There is no plan should anything go wrong with these weapons.
  • Nuclear weapons, weapons in general, militarism is expensive. At a time when we need to be spending on preparing for climate and ecological breakdown and trying to prevent the worst case scenario, time resources and money are wasted on projects such as nuclear weapons at Lakenheath.
  • More nukes lead to more nukes: we have seen this all before in the Cold War: the nuclear arms race. Nuclear weapons brought in as deterrents lead to ‘the other side’ reacting by getting more nuclear weapons, and the cycle will never end. This doesn't deter anything, it just escalates the tensions.

    • Save Our Planet.jpg Assets available from Lakenheath Peace Camp - XRUK Social Media Posts

    SLOGANS

    Ideas for slogans, banners or placards to illustrate the link between war/military/weapons/nuclear weapons and the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE):

    WAR FUELS CLIMATE CHAOS

    DISARM FOR A LIVEABLE PLANET

    CUT WEAPONS, GROW FORESTS

    DISARMAMENT = CLIMATE ACTION

    CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSES WAR. WAR CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGE.

    Save the planet related slogans:

    NO NUKES, NO WAR, SAVE OUR PLANET

    END WAR, SAVE EARTH

    DISARM THE PLANET, HEAL THE EARTH

    WAR POLLUTES, PEACE RESTORES

    General:

    STOP THE CHAIN REACTION

    WAR PROFITS, PEOPLE SUFFER

    DIVEST FROM DESTRUCTION, INVEST IN REGENERATION

    Placards:

    Stop Lakenheath Nuke Madness = Protect Our Planet

    US Nuclear Warheads = Environmental Catastrophe – Stop the Arms Race

    Choose Peace, Choose the Planet

    People Before Profit

    Planet Before Profit

    TIPS FOR PLACARDS: Placards with some hard hitting facts always seem to do very well. Feel free to pick some from the list of facts below to add to your own placard.

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    Here you will find suggested hashtags, some suggested posts, and social media accounts of some of the allies attending the camp.

    Key hashtags:

    #Lakenheath

    #PeaceCamp

    #ClimateJustice

    #WarKillsOurPlanet

    #ExtinctionRebellion

    Other hashtag ideas:

    #ChoosePeace

    #ChooseThePlanet

    #PeopleBeforeProfit

    #PlanetBeforeProfit

    #ClimateAction

    #ActNow

    #WarPollutes

    #NoNukes

    #JoinTheMovement

    #StandUpSpeakOut

    #GlobalPeace

    #Blockade

    #PeacefulProtest

    #NuclearWar

    #RAFCentre

    #ProtectOurPlanet

    Social media post ideas

    Post 1:

    LAKENHEATH PEACE CAMP: TIME TO DISARM!

    💣 Nuclear weapons are BACK at Lakenheath. The US is turning the UK into a nuclear front line—AGAIN. This is not a drill.

    🔥 WAR FUELS CLIMATE CHAOS. The military-industrial complex is wrecking the planet while governments PROFIT from destruction. Climate justice and peace are inseparable.

    👊 Join us for two weeks of action at Lakenheath Peace Camp—a camp of RESISTANCE, HOPE & DIRECT ACTION. Let’s show them we’re NOT backing down.

    📍RAF Lakenheath, UK IP27 9PS 📅Monday 14th April to Saturday 26th April 2025

    No Nukes. No War. No Climate Collapse. ✊ Follow the Rebellion Broadcast on Telegram to stay updated!

    #Lakenheath #RAFCentre #DirectAction #PlanetBeforeProfit #ClimateJustice

    Post 2:

    DISARM FOR A LIVEABLE PLANET

    The US military is the world’s largest polluter—and they’re about to make things worse by bringing back nuclear weapons to Lakenheath. Nuclear war doesn’t just kill people—it kills ecosystems, poisons water, and accelerates climate collapse.

    Climate change causes war. War causes climate change. It’s a toxic cycle we REFUSE to accept.

    🚨 The solution? Mass disruption & resistance. 🌱 What do we want? Peace & regeneration. 🗣️ When do we want it. NOW. 👊 The first step? JOIN US at the Lakenheath Peace Camp!

    📍RAF Lakenheath, UK IP27 9PS 📅 Monday 14th April to Saturday 26th April 2025

    Come camp, take action, and make history.

    📢 Follow the Rebellion Broadcast on Telegram to stay in the loop or check out the Lakenheath website for more information!

    #NoNukes #PeopleBeforeProfit #MakeHistory #ActNow #ExtinctionRebellion

    Post 3:

    MORE EMISSIONS. MORE DESTRUCTION. MORE RISK

    We’re facing a #ClimateEmergency, and instead of funding green solutions, governments are bankrolling war. The UK and US are choosing weapons over wind turbines, and bombs over biodiversity.

    🌱 Imagine if that money went into restoring forests, renewable energy or supporting climate refugees. But instead? They’re making sure we’re first in line for nuclear war.

    👊 NOT ON OUR WATCH. Join the Lakenheath Peace Camp and take a stand for life on earth.

    Disarm for a liveable planet.

    📍RAF Lakenheath, UK IP27 9PS 📅 Monday 14th April to Saturday 26th April 2025

    ✊ Action starts NOW. Be part of something BIG. Are you in?

    Click the 🔗 in the bio for more information!

    #PeacefulProtest #GlobalPeace #JoinTheMovement #XRUK

    Find out more: https://xrb.link/Fu2thW60oZ2

    Sign up here: https://xrb.link/g05Zb7A7A

    Click here to donate: https://xrb.link/U9Co3K8087

    Allies on socials

    COMING SOON

    Organisation | Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | X

    XR Peace | / | XRPeace | / | / | / | @XRPeaceUK

    More information on Alliance Organisations here: Lakenheath Alliance Organisations.

    DESIGN

    You will see our designs for social media scattered around this pack. You can download all social media designs here:

    Lakenheath Peace Camp - XRUK Social Media Posts

    Don't forget there are resources available to you to create your own assets using the XR colours and other design tools such as the design programme and more.

    Cut Weapons Grow Forests.jpg

    THE FACTS: NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT LAKENHEATH AND THE CLIMATE AND ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY

    Before nuclear weapons are even used

    Even before nuclear weapons are used our environment is being poisoned, harmed and put at risk by the nuclear fuel cycle, weapons production, operations and transports.

    The following examples do not include greenhouse gas emissions from use of weapons in conflict, from Lakenheath Peace Alliance website:

  • UK’s ”production-based” military-industrial Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in 2018 were 6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – that is greater than the “CO2 emissions of about 60 nations”
  • If calculating greenhouse gas emissions of UK military spending in 2018 (the life-cycle “consumption-based” approach), the UK contributed approx 11 million tonnes CO2 equivalent.
  • The UK’s military carbon “bootprint” is comparable to the annual average mileage of 6 million cars.
  • BAE Systems Plc is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company. BAE Systems accounts for 30% of the total UK arms industry emissions.
  • F35A fighter jet/bomber (nuclear capable): One military flight = two UK adults yearly emission, average.
  • Carbon emissions of one military flight by = approx 28 tonnes of CO2e.
  • The world spends over $90billion on nuclear weapons every year 2023, global spending on nuclear weapons reached $91.4 billion. Over $2,400billion was spent on war in total. This is more than the estimated $2,000 billion a year needed to tackle climate change.
  • Each of the 30 F-35A warplanes at ‘RAF’ Lakenheath cost over $80million and over $30,000 per flight.
  • A single combat plane costs £58 million and burns through £28,000 an hour just to fly. It guzzles fuel at 0.6 miles per gallon—meanwhile, Lakenheath sees 15-30 flights daily, and that’s just during ‘peacetime’. When war ramps up? So do emissions, devastation, and death.
  • Nuclear weapons poison the planet for generations. Contamination from nukes lasts over 100,000 years. More than 100,000 tonnes of radioactive waste have already been dumped in the Atlantic. Out of sight, out of mind? Not when ecosystems collapse.

    • Impact of war

  • Climate change causes war. War causes climate change . During the US Iraq war, military equipment used 6 - 10 times more than the “peace-time” rate.
    • War and military operations have massive environmental effects due to toxic emissions due to destruction and burning forests, fields, ecosystems and people’s homes & businesses.
  • Military spending steals necessary resources away from public health, education, social needs, and tackling climate chaos.
  • A study by the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS) and Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) estimates that the military sector's carbon footprint accounts for approximately 5.5% of global emissions. This suggests that if the world's militaries were considered a single entity, their emissions would be more than major nations like Russia.

    • If nuclear weapons are used

    There is a lot of evidence, sadly, of the impact of a nuclear weapon on people, the environment, and all living things:

  • Evidence from test sites: Studies into the environmental impact of nuclear tests carried out in Nevada, USA, illustrate the impact of radioactive pollution on the atmospheric, aquatic, and underground environments. People exposed to nuclear radiation are more likely to suffer from long-term health conditions including cancer and skin burns. Pregnant women exposed have had babies born with malformations and impaired brain function, as well as cancer.
  • Evidence of actual nuclear explosions: The accident at the Chernobyl power plant in 1986 (equivalent to the detonation of about a dozen atomic bombs) and the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
  • When a nuclear bomb detonates, the 1 megaton blast kills or poisons everything within a two-mile radius.
  • Hiroshima: The extreme heat burnt everything in its path, including animals, trees, buildings and people. Many of those who did not die from radiation or burns later developed illnesses including cancers.
  • When people aren't dying of radiation related illnesses, some may starve to death from contaminated food chains and crops dying, resulting in famine.
  • The detonation of an atomic bomb creates radioactive dust that falls around the explosion site. Wind and water currents carry the dust across a much larger radius than the initial explosion, where it contaminates the ground, water supply and the food chain.
  • After nuclear explosions temperatures will shift, changing the climate with such a speed that nature won't be able to adapt.
  • Without people to maintain nuclear power plants and other existing nuclear weapons, the likelihood of more nuclear explosions is high.

    • ABOUT THE CAMP

  • Dates: Monday 14 - Saturday 26 April 2025
  • Location: RAF Lakenheath, Brandon Road, Brandon, Suffolk IP27 9PN
  • Getting to the camp - instructions on Lakenheath Alliance for Peace website
  • Travel Bursary for XR rebels - claim for public transport and car sharing costs
  • Full programme of the camp
  • About the Lakenheath Alliance for Peace
  • Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)'s page about the peace camp at Lakenheath
  • About XR Peace
  • About RAF Lakenheath

    • FURTHER READING

  • International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
  • Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR)
  • Vandana Shiva books on practical ecofeminist, anti-colonialist actions to save Mother Earth
  • Western Shoshone info: Native Community Action Council
  • Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) UK
  • Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) Cymru
  • International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
  • LABRATS (test ban veterans)
  • SIPRI Yearbook 2022: Trends in world military expenditure
  • NIS Nuclear Information Service and @nuclearinfo
  • Rebecca Johnson’s report on TPNW and UK nuclear policies
  • Ban The Bomb
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