Activists disrupt oil industry party

Industry bigwigs face huge protest at defiant party planned for day Kyoto became law. The international oil industry's most prestigious annual gathering was disrupted tonight after Greenpeace volunteers blockaded a £50-a-plate dinner at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

The defiant function had been scheduled to take place on the day the Kyoto Protocol came into force and was set to host middle-eastern energy ministers and the heads of some of the world's most powerful companies.

They had gathered at the Park Lane venue to hear an address from Esso CEO Lee Raymond - the man who led efforts to wreck Kyoto. But dozens of Greenpeace volunteers locked themselves together to block the entrances to the Great Hall, where the dinner - intended as the centrepiece of the 91st International Petroleum Week - was due to begin at 7.30pm. The annual gathering sees the industry's top players meet to discuss threats and opportunities to the oil business. Climbers have hung a banner across the front of the Park Lane venue, saying: "CLIMATE CHANGE KILLS - OIL INDUSTRY PARTIES"

Earlier today Greenpeace protesters disrupted trading on the global oil market by occupying the International Petroleum Exchange in London. The day of activity comes as Kyoto targets to cut emissions of greenhouse gases become legally binding in 128 countries. Although Kyoto is a good first step, governments need to agree huge cuts in emissions - way beyond Kyoto targets - if the threat of global warming is to be defeated.

Greenpeace climate campaigner Emily Armistead said:

"On the day the world finally enacted Kyoto, the oil industry tried to hold a huge party to say, 'we don't care, it's business as usual'. We hope for at least one evening they've been forced to face the reality of what they're doing. Climate change is the gravest threat we face, with the potential to kill millions and wipe out entire species. The world is addicted to oil, the threat is unprecedented and the people who bought tickets for that party share a large part of the blame."

Past emissions of greenhouse gases mean the world cannot avoid an increase in average global temperature of 1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. If the average temperature rises more than 2 degrees, the impacts could be catastrophic. Industrialised countries must go beyond Kyoto to cut emissions by 80 percent by the 2050s. But many key players in the oil business have worked tirelessly to wreck even the modest targets set by Kyoto.

Emily Armistead added:

"The industry wanted to honour Esso boss Lee Raymond, the world's number one climate criminal. According to the UN, climate change is already killing 150,000 people a year, yet Raymond and Esso have waged a ten-year campaign against efforts to tackle the threat. The men and women who feed the world's oil addiction came to London to hear him speak in a show of defiance against Kyoto. Instead we told them to consider the terrible damage they're wreaking on our planet."

For more information contact Greenpeace on 07801 212993 or 0207 865 8255

Stills and broadcast footage available.

The Esso conference is besieged by climate change protesters

A meeting of energy ministers from across Europe has been surrounded by protesters dressed as tigers.

The campaigners, from the environmental group Greenpeace, are protesting against oil giant Esso, which has organised the meeting. They say Esso has done more than any other company to sabotage the fight against global warming.

About thirty protesters, many dressed as the Esso tiger mascot, are surrounding the Bibliotheque Solvay in central Brussels. Some are in trees hanging banners that say: 'ESSO - GLOBAL WARMING LIARS'. Other campaigners are stopping delegates outside the venue to explain the role the world's biggest oil company has played in keeping the US out of the Kyoto Protocol to tackle climate change.

Greenpeace campaigner Emily Armistead said: "Esso chiefs want Europeans to see them as respectable businessmen, but in truth they are at the centre of a deeply irresponsible campaign that could result in the world facing climate disaster. Esso funds front groups that try to muddy the waters around global warming science while the company gives huge sums to politicians that deny man-made climate change is even happening. We want Europe's top energy policymakers to steer clear of this company."

The meeting - called Europe's Energy Outlook - is being attended by the some of the most powerful players in the European energy field, including ministers and officials from all 25 EU countries. Esso has organised the event and will give the keynote address.

Greenpeace campaigners have previously shut down 120 Esso petrol stations on the same day in the UK, shut down all the Esso stations in Luxembourg, shut down their European headquarters outside London and shut down their international HQ in Dallas.

Emily Armistead continued: "We've been telling the delegates about Esso's appalling record of disinformation and dirty tricks on global warming. We hope they'll take whatever the company said inside the meeting with a pinch of salt."

Film and photographs available on request. For more information contact Greenpeace on 00 44 7801 212961 / 0044 7801 212967.

Activists locked underneath our loudspeaker truck - parked outside the Oil & Money conference

ExxonMobil Executive drowned out by 3000 watt climate warning

A keynote speech by the Chairman of ExxonMobil International Andrew Swiger (1) to oil industry executives was this morning drowned out by a 3000-watt broadcast warning Exxon to drop their extreme position on climate change.

Andrew Swiger was speaking in front of hundreds of executives at central London's Intercontinental Hotel, where BP and Shell Chief Executives, the Iraqi Oil Minister and the Prime Minister of Libya were to hear his speech. But a Greenpeace truck carrying a 3000 watt sound system parked next to the conference room's window disrupted his speech.

Workers from surrounding offices came out to watch as the warning blasted out, "You are surrounded, come out with your hands up - you and your company, Esso, are surrounded on all sides. You are surrounded by eminent scientists who tell you that global warming is happening and that it is caused by burning fossil fuels. By world leaders like Tony Blair. By the one million UK drivers who refuse to buy your products".

Five Greenpeace volunteers, two women and three men, were chained to the van to prevent it being removed. Two were cut off the van. All five have now been arrested and charged with causing a public nuisance.

ExxonMobil (known as Esso in Europe) has orchestrated a ten-year dirty tricks campaign against international action on global warming. They have:

• Channelled huge sums of money to influential Washington front groups that deny global warming is even happening.
• Orchestrated a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign against efforts to cut US greenhouse emissions.
• Wilfully distorted the science of climate change.

This week's 24th Oil and Money conference has seen the most powerful movers in the global oil market gather to discuss the future of the industry.

Greenpeace campaigner Emily Armistead said: "Esso has done more than anyone except George Bush himself to stop the world from tackling climate change. While the other big oil companies have accepted the need to tackle this serious threat, Esso have stopped at nothing to sabotage international negotiations. The delays caused by Esso are putting millions more lives at risk. Unless we stop Esso, we won't stop global warming."

For more, contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.

Notes to editors
1. Andrew Swiger is Chairman and Production director of ExxonMobil International Limited. He is also chairman of Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited and Mobil North Sea Limited. He also oversees the company's oil and gas production operations in Europe.