Meeting Lee Raymond: Downing Street
How are Esso contributing to global warming?
'Esso have done more than any other company on the planet to stop the world from tackling global warming. It is because of them that George Bush ditched the only international treaty to tackle climate change and really along with George Bush they are sticking two fingers up to the rest of the planet.'
What will happen if international governments don't take action on climate change?
'We are going to see more floods more storms more droughts and more disease. That's the reality if we carry on as we are the world is going to get hotter and it's going to get wetter and it's not something we can afford to let happen.'
What precisely have Esso done to sabotage international climate agreements?
'Esso have been running a decade of dirty tricks and they have a strategy which is really about deny, dupe and delay. Deny the science, dupe the American public and delay the international negotiations. Most recently they sent a fax to the White House asking if the US could get rid on the UN's head global warming scientist, and the US government did exactly that because what comes out of Esso's mouth is what president Bush does.'
How much does Esso invest in renewable energy and green fuel?
'Zip, zero, nothing. They make more 15 billion profits a year and don�t invest one cent into renewable energy.'
What hold do Esso have over George Bush?
'They are holding the strings of George Bush the puppet. What Esso says Bush does, they are using their weight and power to have a strangle hold grip over the American�s global warming policy, they are writing his climate policy and they are basically getting him to do whatever they want around climate change.'
What could Esso do if they did decide to stop destroying the planet?
'Well it could help save the planet from the effects of global warming that's what we would like to see them do. To stop sabotaging the international climate negotiations and start being a responsible corporate citizen start investing in renewable energy and start supporting the American's in coming into the Kyoto Treaty and help the whole world tackle climate change.'
