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13/02/2002 This week, against the background noise of concern about Enron and corporate influence on US energy policy, President George W Bush is expected to announce his administration’s climate plan – the US alternative to the Kyoto Protocol.In October last year Rene Dahan, Executive Vice President of ExxonMobil, gave a speech in London outlining how ExxonMobil (Esso) would like to see governments approaching climate change. After his speech, Mr Dahan boasted to the Financial Times that the long-promised Bush alternative to Kyoto "will not be very different from what you are hearing from us". All the indications are that it will be a close match. Last week the President’s Council of Economic Advisers published a report on the US economy which included a section on climate change. The section mirrors ExxonMobil’s demands on climate change, calling for more research into the science of climate change and mitigation technologies; voluntary rather than mandatory action and emissions linked to economic growth. In the past ExxonMobil’s words have, quite literally, come out of Bush’s mouth: in April 2001, the company took out adverts describing Kyoto as "fundamentally flawed" and "fatally politicised". Two months later Bush described it as "fatally flawed in fundamental ways". ExxonMobil is set to get what it paid for. According to the last available annual figures from the Washington based Center for Responsive Politics, ExxonMobil outspent Enron 6 to 1 on lobbyists to promote its cause on Capital Hill. The Texan oil giant spent $11.7m on lobbying compared to $1.9m by the failed energy corporation. Last month the infamous Global Climate Coalition, chaired by ExxonMobil for many years, folded, announcing its work to destroy the only international treaty to tackle global warming was now complete. Frank Maisano, spokesman for the GCC, said, "We have achieved what we wanted to accomplish with the Kyoto Protocol." ExxonMobil’s Wish List: Check Against Delivery The briefing below details the demands made by ExxonMobil in recent years. The StopEsso campaign predicts that when Bush announces his climate plan, you'll be able to tick most of the boxes in ExxonMobil's wish list below. Voluntary Not Mandatory “Encourage voluntary actions. These would include management systems for energy efficiency, cost-effective investments such as cogeneration in manufacturing and energy efficiency in businesses and homes.” “It is time to move beyond Kyoto and to focus on more effective steps to manage the long term risk of climate change. These include technology research and evelopment, science that addresses fundamental gaps, economically based voluntary actions and an international approach that meets the aspirations of all the world's people.” “Mandated significant reductions in their use will lessen economic development, harming both people and the economy.” “We believe that the best approach to this issue recognizes both the importance of sustaining economic growth and improving the environment. Sustaining economic growth is critical – not just because of the higher standards of living it brings – but also for the environmental progress it makes possible. The whole history of major industrial economies has demonstrated that rising economic prosperity brings improving environmental performance and quality of life.” More research “A first phase encompassing the next fifteen to twenty years would be devoted to: an active research program engaging our best worldwide research establishments to systematically improve our ability to predict the magnitude, the impact and the consequences of climate change…" “We advocate….increased research into promising ‘cleaner’ technologies, realistic appraisal of renewable energy and continued research to improve climate understanding.” “…undertake research on the kind of long-term mega technologies such as fuel cells, clean coal, CO2 separation and storage and other energy systems capable of significantly improving the energy efficiency of the world economies and reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases without giving up economic prosperity…” Sequestration “Promote carbon storage through wise forest and agricultural practices.” “Other possibilities include…separation and storage of CO2 emissions: geo-engineering to remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.”
[Previous press release: "Blair meets Esso's Darth Vader of Global Warming"] |
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Latest Campaign News KYOTO MARCH - Saturday 12 February 2005 In February the Kyoto Protocol finally comes into force. Join the Campaign Against Climate Change on a march in central London to mark the occassion by protesting the US' refusal to join the Protocol. Assemble at Lincoln's Inn Fields at 11.30. For more information go to www.campaign againstclimatechange.net Esso up to old tricks on Kyoto Governments from around the world met in Buenos Aires to discuss protecting the climate under the Kyoto Protocol. Greenpeace sent a delegation to the conference to keep an eye on the activities of Esso and other fossil fuel lobbies.more "Global warming is a conspiracy against America" As a taste of what is to come during a second Bush term Myron Ebell, an advisor to President Bush on climate issues, recently argued that global warming is a myth cooked up by the EU to 'hamper American competitiveness'... more Russia Ratifies The Russian parliament have voted to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, which brings the treaty into force... more Chief Scientist: we need immediate action on climate change "Action is affordable, inaction is certainly not," says Sir David King, the UK governments chief scientist...more |
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