Climbers paint 'stop esso' on a fuel tank at Esso refinery
Road and river tanker traffic at France's largest oil refinery,
owned by Esso, was brought to a standstill by Greenpeace volunteers
dressed as tigers today, in protest against the company's
continuing interference in international climate change policy.
The Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace's flagship, sailed up the Seine
to Esso's Port Jerome refinery near Le Havre this morning. Using
inflatable boats, Greenpeace activists prevented tankers from
leaving the refinery, and had hoses turned on them by the tanker
crews. On shore more activists, some dressed as tigers - Esso's
corporate symbol - blocked road tanker access gates into the
facility and handed out information to workers and passers-by. More
tigers scaled the perimeter "watchtowers" and amplified the Stop
Esso message with loudhailers.
"Regardless of where in the world it operates, whether under the
name of Exxon, Esso or Mobil, this oil company has done more than
any other to sabotage international action on climate change," said
Greenpeace climate campaigner Benedict Southworth.
"Esso backed the Bush Administration with massive political
contributions and spent more than even Enron on lobbying the White
House. Last year the US walked away from the only international
agreement to address climate change - the Kyoto Protocol. President
Bush instead came up a domestic, voluntary scheme that would
increase greenhouse emissions by 36 percent. That policy was
effectively written by Esso."
Climate change is recognised as a serious problem by thousands
of the world's leading scientists and most governments. Over the
next century, a warming of just a few degrees will lead to sea
level rise, chaotic weather patterns, agricultural loss and spread
of disease.
"Esso pursues its profits at the expense of human lives and
livelihoods, ignoring warnings from the world's leading scientists
that climate change is already happening and will get worse," said
Southworth.
"People are worried about climate change and angry with the
Esso-Bush alliance that is blocking action. Esso must be stopped
and that's why we are here today."
The Port Jerome protest follows 10 days of protests against Esso
around the world, in the USA, Canada, Ireland, Luxembourg, New
Zealand, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Ireland and Spain.
The international actions and ship crew included activists from
France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain,
New Zealand, Malta, Chile, the USA, Finland, St Vincent and the
Grenadines, and Ghana.
Notes: Visit www.stopesso.org