Greenpeace activists block an Esso petrol station for business in Esch, Luxembourg this morning. More than 600 volunteers from around the world are shutting down oil company Esso in the European country of Luxembourg in a Greenpeace protest against Esso's continued sabotage of international efforts to protect the climate.
More than 600 volunteers from around the world are shutting down
oil company Esso in the European country of Luxembourg this
morning, in a Greenpeace protest against Esso's continued sabotage
of international efforts to protect the climate.
Volunteers from 31 countries are present at every one of Esso's
28 petrol stations in Luxembourg - including the biggest Esso
station in the world on the Luxembourg/German border. Protestors,
some dressed in tiger suits and George Bush masks, are blocking
vehicle access to petrol pumps, locking on to equipment and handing
out information to motorists. At each station banners reading "Esso
No 1 climate criminal" have been hung.
The Luxembourg protest is taking place as 178 countries meet in
India for the next round of talks on the Kyoto Protocol - the only
international agreement on protecting the climate. The USA is
responsible for 25% of global greenhouse gases but, with Esso's
backing, will not be participating in the Kyoto talks.
"For the past decade Esso has been responsible for the blatant
and sustained manipulation of US and international climate change
policy in its crusade to de-rail international efforts to address
climate change. It was a major influence in US President, George W.
Bush's decision to walk away from the Kyoto Protocol," said
Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace climate campaigner, speaking in
Luxembourg. " If we are going to have any hope of saving the
climate, we must stop Esso."
Esso, which is also known as ExxonMobil and Mobil
internationally, denies that burning oil, coal and gas contributes
to climate change, despite the opinion of the world's best
scientific bodies and the evidence of severe climate change
impacts, such as more frequent and dangerous extreme weather
events, the retreat of glaciers and the destruction of coral
reefs.
"Esso's core business fuels climate change and it is doing all
in its power to ensure the status quo doesn't change, It has tried
to hijack the climate debate through the use of front groups,
flawed science and large political contributions and refuses to
spend any of its billions on clean renewable energy, " said
Tunmore.
"The demonstration here in Luxembourg is about showing the
company the level of public anger at its self-serving actions to
frustrate climate protection measures, " she said.
Luxembourg is known as the fuel pump of Europe for its cheap
petrol. Drivers from many countries travel long distances to buy
petrol there. Particpants in the protest have come from the
following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland,
Israel, Italy , Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Luxembourg, New Zealand,
Norway, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland,The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the USA, Turkey,
Yugoslavia.
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