ENVIRONMENTAL group Extinction Rebellion (XR) launched its new strategy for the year today to demand change and begin “building the alternative.”

The new strategy invites people to unite to face the climate and ecological emergency and “go beyond the streets and into the fabric of everything we do.”

XR co-founder Gail Bradbrook said: “It is time for us to recognise the new story emerging from these dark times.

“We all share fears for the future, for our families, friends and communities. For our neighbours, for those already suffering, and for the natural world.

“With this strategy XR is offering an invitation to all to come together in courage so that we can build resilience in our communities and create the change we want to see – rather than waiting for those in power to do it for us.”

Key goals for the year include bringing a million people across Britain into “active” support and ensuring that at least half of the nation sees the issue of climate change as their top priority.

XR also said they will not wait for their demands to be met and will “begin enacting them, plotting new participatory systems in democracy, media and economics.”

The strategy also aims to strengthen their connection to wider movements for change as well as improving their internal systems.

XR warned that the COP26, the UN climate summit due to take place in Glasgow in November, will be no different from the policies and agreements that have “failed for 30 years.”

In a statement, the group said: “While we know the eyes of the world will be on COP26 and we will be factoring that into what we do, we will not be depending on it.

“Presented by some as our last hope for change, it will not give us the solutions we need. This is why we will aim beyond it.

“We will push for a Global Citizens’ Assembly to ask the difficult questions that must be faced if we are to tackle this emergency. Thus ordinary people can lead the way in creating the answers.”

XR will next be marching through the streets of London on February 22 to say “enough is enough.”