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.
