Sovereign Explorer: inflatable

Four Greenpeace volunteers have occupied a second oil exploration rig in Cromarty Firth, Scotland, as part of a campaign to stop dangerous climate change and protect marine life in the north east Atlantic. The occupation comes just days after two Greenpeace climbers occupied the Jack Bates exploration rig in the same area. Both rigs are due to begin drilling operations in the deep waters west of the Hebrides (the so called "Atlantic Frontier") which is Europe's most important habitat for whales and coral reefs. The drilling area was the subject of a successful legal challenge by Greenpeace in the English High Court in November 1999.

All of the main environment and conservation groups in the UK (including RSPB and WWF) have written to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott asking him to prevent further drilling in the Atlantic Frontier (letter attached at [2]). Greenpeace have also written to Scottish Office Minister Brian Wilson asking for a meeting to discuss the future of renewable energy schemes in Scotland but have received no reply.

Rob Gueterbock, Greenpeace Climate & Energy campaigner, said:
"All of Britain's conservation groups oppose this drilling yet John Prescott refuses to even comment. Brian Wilson claims that Greenpeace is hiding behind the renewable energy argument and yet avoids meeting us to discuss these issues. Mr Wilson lacks even the most basic facts - he doesn't know that Denmark has already created 15,000 jobs in the wind industry. Scottish Enterprise has recently said that Scotland is missing out on a major opportunity to develop a thriving renewable energy industry."

Rob Gueterbock continued:
"The UK government must face up to this issue: will it invest in a massive expansion of the renewable energy industry which will protect the environment and create thousands of jobs or go ahead with oil exploration condemning us all to more dangerous climate change and wrecking the marine environment."

The occupied rig is the Sovereign Explorer currently chartered by Marathon Oil. The Greenpeace volunteers intend to maintain the occupation until such time as the UK Government suspends the drilling on the Atlantic Frontier.

Rob Gueterbock added:
"In the last 10 years, the number of oil jobs in North East Scotland has fallen by around 14,000. While the UK Government continues to support this declining industry it is missing out on massive opportunities to create a wind and wave industry. If the UK adopted a target of generating 10% of electricity from offshore wind, it would create 36,000 jobs."

The drilling scheduled for the Atlantic Frontier is unnecessary since none of the potential oil discoveries could safely be used as fuel if the climate is to be protected. The Government has estimated that industrial countries like the UK may have to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% if we are to prevent catastrophic rates of climate change and that "achieving this will almost certainly require a major shift away from fossil fuels." The police have detained a large but unknown number of Greenpeace volunteers in the region.

Notes to Editors:
[1] In November 1999 the UK Government was defeated by Greenpeace in a landmark legal ruling to protect coral reefs and whales and dolphins. The English High Court ruling means that all future offshore oil licensing is now illegal until the Government properly applies the EU Habitats Directive. However, the Government is allowing drilling to go ahead even though it has not yet implemented the High Court ruling which aims to protect vulnerable species and habitats.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Maurice Kay told the court that Greenpeace's case that whales and dolphins can be harmed by oil industry activity was "substantially uncontradicted" by UK Government and oil industry evidence, and that oil exploration was "at least likely" to have an "adverse effect" on deep water coral reefs.

Greenpeace's case centred on the UK Government's decision to only apply the EU Habitat's Directive up to 12 miles from the coast rather than the 200 mile limit where it licenses oil drilling. The judge said that the government had "clearly" not applied the Habitats Directive offshore.

[2] Text of letter to John Prescott from UK environment and conservation groups 27 March 2000:
Dear Deputy Prime Minister,
As Secretary of State for the Environment you have been an effective champion of environmental issues and have made real advances in climate protection and marine pollution. Some of this good work is about to be undone by the Department of Trade and Industry. With their consent, three new oil wells - the first wave of development - are about to be drilled in the pristine Atlantic Ocean west of Scotland. These wells should not be drilled. You are one of the few people who can prevent this haven for whales, dolphins, seabirds and coral reefs being needlessly scarred by oil exploration.
As a result of a High Court ruling last November, all UK oil licensing is illegal until appropriate protection is provided under European Habitats Directive. But in the short space of time since the ruling, the necessary steps to apply the Directive have not yet been completed by your department. The DTI is ignoring this and putting coral reefs in particular under a very real threat.
Far from being in the national interest, this destructive drilling is totally unnecessary as none of the oil found can safely be used as fuel. Your recent climate strategy made clear that a major shift away from fossil fuels is required to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 90%. This means that instead of exploring for new oil, reliance on fossil fuels must be phased out in an orderly way. Existing reserves of fossil fuels would, if burnt, produce at least twice as much carbon dioxide as can be tolerated if we are to prevent dangerous levels of climate change.
Nor is there a good economic case for allowing these wells. Employment in oil is in decline. For the long-term protection of jobs and the environment, Government money must switch from oil to clean renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar power.
Please continue to support the protection of our marine environment and our climate by stopping this drilling.

Environmental Investigation Agency
Friends of the Earth England and Wales
Friends of the Earth Scotland
Greenpeace
Marine Conservation Society
RSPB
Wildlife trusts
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
WWF

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace Press Office - 020 7865 8256

A Greenpeace protester hangs a banner from an oil rig in Cromarty Firth, Scotland

Police are still searching for two Greenpeace volunteers who vanished after abandoning their occupation of an oil rig.

The protesters had tied themselves to Enterprise Oil's Jack Bates platform in the Cromarty Firth on Sunday and spent the night there before coming down at 1600 BST on Monday. Grampian Police then lost sight of them.

The protesters left the rig after being ordered to come down by a judge in Edinburgh who granted Enterprise Oil an interdict.

The semi-submersible rig, which has been under charter to Enterprise Oil and had undergone a refit, was preparing to leave its anchorage to begin drilling off the Outer Hebrides when a group of protesters climbed on board.

Two protesters stayed on the rig through the night while another five people, allegedly involved in the action, were charged with breach of the peace.

Greenpeace spokesman and climate and energy campaigner Rob Gueterbock said: "We decided the climbers should come down because our fight is not with the courts. But it is a sad day for the sensitive environment of the Atlantic Frontier and a sad day for our environment. All the main environmental bodies in Scotland, England and Wales have backed us in opposing the drilling for oil west of Shetland."

coral reef

Britain's leading environment and conservation groups are calling on John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, to prevent further oil exploration in the Atlantic Ocean, west of the Hebrides (the 'Atlantic Frontier'). The joint letter comes from the following organisations:

Environmental Investigation Agency
Friends of the Earth England and Wales
Friends of the Earth Scotland
Greenpeace
Marine Conservation Society
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Wildlife Trusts
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society

In the letter, the organisations ask the Deputy Prime Minister to end oil drilling in the Atlantic Frontier on the grounds that it is damaging to marine wildlife, bad for the climate and has little economic justification.

Writing to John Prescott, the groups said:
"These wells should not be drilled. You are one of the few people who can prevent this haven for whales, dolphins, seabirds and coral reefs being needlessly scarred by oil explorationFar from being in the national interest, this destructive drilling is totally unnecessary as none of the oil found can safely be used as fuel. Your recent climate strategy made clear that a major shift away from fossil fuels is required to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 90%."

The Atlantic Frontier has been described as a "whale motorway" for migrating species, and has also been revealed as an important breeding and feeding ground for many whales and dolphins. Some 21 species of whale and dolphin are found there including endangered blue and fin whales and vulnerable sperm and humpback whales.

A copy of the letter is as follows:
Rt Hon John Prescott MP
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions
Eland House
Bressenden Place, London SW1
27 March 2000

Dear Deputy Prime Minister,
As Secretary of State for the Environment you have been an effective champion of environmental issues and have made real advances in climate protection and marine pollution. Some of this good work is about to be undone by the Department of Trade and Industry. With their consent, three new oil wells - the first wave of development - are about to be drilled in the pristine Atlantic Ocean west of Scotland.
These wells should not be drilled. You are one of the few people who can prevent this haven for whales, dolphins, seabirds and coral reefs being needlessly scarred by oil exploration.
As a result of a High Court ruling last November, all UK oil licensing is illegal until appropriate protection is provided under European Habitats Directive. But in the short space of time since the ruling, the necessary steps to apply the Directive have not yet been completed by your department. The DTI is ignoring this and putting coral reefs in particular under a very real threat. Far from being in the national interest, this destructive drilling is totally unnecessary as none of the oil found can safely be used as fuel. Your recent climate strategy made clear that a major shift away from fossil fuels is required to cut CO2 emissions by as much as 90%. This means that instead of exploring for new oil, reliance on fossil fuels must be phased out in an orderly way. Existing reserves of fossil fuels would, if burnt, produce at least twice as much carbon dioxide as can be tolerated if we are to prevent dangerous levels of climate change.

Nor is there a good economic case for allowing these wells. Employment in oil is in decline. For the long-term protection of jobs and the environment, Government money must switch from oil to clean renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar power.
Please continue to support the protection of our marine environment and our climate by stopping this drilling.
Environmental Investigation Agency
Friends of the Earth England and Wales
Friends of the Earth Scotland
Greenpeace
Marine Conservation Society
RSPB
Wildlife trusts
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society

A Greenpeace protester hangs a banner from an oil rig in Cromarty Firth, Scotland

Enterprise Oil has sought an interdict (a Scottish injunction) against Greenpeace to remove two climbers that are currently occupying the Jack Bates oil rig on the Cromarty Firth. The occupation is part of a campaign to protect marine life in the north east Atlantic and stop dangerous climate change. The company are claiming one million pounds damages for the rig occupation and will place an application for an interdict before a Scottish High Court this morning.

The Jack Bates an exploration oil rig chartered by Enterprise Oil Plc on behalf of Enterprise, Exxon and Mobil - was occupied on Sunday morning (26/3/00) by two Greenpeace volunteers who attached themselves to one of the rig's anchor chains. The rig was due to leave its winter anchorage on Sunday to begin drilling operations in the deep waters west of the Hebrides (the so called 'Atlantic Frontier') which is Europe's most important habitat for whales and coral reefs. The drilling area was the subject of a successful legal challenge by Greenpeace in the English High Court in November 1999.

Aside from the possibility of a major oil spill, Enterprise Oil has admitted that it will dump over a thousand tonnes of toxic drill cuttings and chemicals into the sea. The area being developed is just 75 miles from the islands of St Kilda and 60 miles from the 'Darwin Mounds' coral reefs [3].

The Department of Trade and Industry issued a statement yesterday (26/3/00) concerning the exploration work of Enterprise Oil concluding that:
"there is no environmental risk from this kind of exploration". However, this statement contradicts the conclusions of the judge in Greenpeace's successful legal challenge against the government's licensing of oil developments in the Atlantic Frontier.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Maurice Kay told the court that Greenpeace's case that whales and dolphins can be harmed by oil industry activity was "substantially uncontradicted" by government and oil industry evidence, and that oil exploration was "at least likely" to have an "adverse effect" on deep water coral reefs.

Notes to Editors:
[1] The Atlantic Frontier has been described as a "whale motorway" for migrating species, and has also been revealed as an important breeding and feeding ground for many whales and dolphins. Some 21 species of whale and dolphin are found there including endangered blue and fin whales and vulnerable sperm and humpback whales.

[2] In November 1999 the Government was defeated by Greenpeace in a landmark legal ruling to protect coral reefs and whales and dolphins. The English High Court ruling means that all future offshore oil licensing is now illegal until the government properly applies the EU Habitats Directive. However, the Government is allowing drilling to go ahead even though the Habitats legislation required by the High Court ruling has not been implemented.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Maurice Kay told the court that Greenpeace's case that whales and dolphins can be harmed by oil industry activity was "substantially uncontradicted" by Government and oil industry evidence, and that oil exploration was "at least likely" to have an "adverse effect" on deep water coral reefs.

Greenpeace's case centred on the UK Government's decision to only apply the EU Habitat Directive up to 12 miles from the coast rather than the 200 mile limit where it licenses oil drilling. The judge said that the government had "clearly" not applied the Habitats Directive offshore.

[3] The government has agreed that the Darwin Mounds coral reefs should be protected as a Special Area of Conservation but has so far failed to do so. St Kilda is Britain's only natural World Heritage Site and one of the most important breeding sites in the world for seabirds. Its population of over one million birds includes the world's largest gannetry and the largest puffin colony in the east Atlantic

Greenpeace occupies the Jack Bates oil rig in bid to protect wildlife and the climate

Two Greenpeace climbers today (26/3/00) occupied an oil exploration rig in Cromarty Firth, Scotland, as part of a campaign to protect marine life in the north east Atlantic and stop dangerous climate change. The rig was due to leave its winter anchorage today to begin drilling operations in the deep waters west of the Hebrides (the so called 'Atlantic Frontier') which is Europe's most important habitat for whales and coral reefs. The drilling area was the subject of a successful legal challenge by Greenpeace in the English High Court in November 1999.

Rob Gueterbock, Greenpeace Climate & Energy campaigner, said:
"This drilling is a double whammy for the environment it hits wildlife when the oil is extracted and it punishes us all when the oil is burnt and climate change gets worse. If John Prescott allows this drilling to go ahead he will be guilty of the most appalling vandalism."

The occupied rig is the Jack Bates currently chartered by Enterprise Oil Plc on behalf of Enterprise, Exxon and Mobil. The Greenpeace volunteers (who are currently suspended from the rig structure on climbing ropes) intend to maintain the occupation until such time as the Government suspends the drilling on the Atlantic Frontier.

The Atlantic Frontier has been described as a "whale motorway" for migrating species, and has also been revealed as an important breeding and feeding ground for many whales and dolphins. Some 21 species of whale and dolphin are found there including endangered blue and fin whales and vulnerable sperm and humpback whales.

Aside from the possibility of a major oil spill, Enterprise Oil has admitted that it will dump over a thousand tonnes of toxic drill cuttings and chemicals into the sea. The area being developed is just 75 miles from the islands of St Kilda and 60 miles from the 'Darwin Mounds' coral reefs [2].

Rob Gueterbock continued:
"John Prescott has said he's very concerned about coral reefs in the Indian Ocean yet he allows the destruction of the same kind of habitat when it's in Scotland. Prescott must intervene and stop this drilling if he wants to be taken seriously as a protector of wildlife and the climate. His department should be licensing offshore wind power not allowing this damaging oil drilling to go ahead."

The drilling scheduled for the Atlantic Frontier is unnecessary since none of the potential oil discoveries should ever be used as fuel. The government has estimated that industrial countries like the UK may have to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% if we are to prevent catastrophic rates of climate change and that "achieving this will almost certainly require a major shift away from fossil fuels."

Greenpeace has formally written to Enterprise Oil explaining the legal situation and asking the company not to continue with it's exploration of the Atlantic Frontier.

Notes to Editors:
[1] In November 1999 the Government was defeated by Greenpeace in a landmark legal ruling to protect coral reefs and whales and dolphins. The English High Court ruling means that all future offshore oil licensing is now illegal until the government properly applies the EU Habitats Directive. However, the Government is allowing drilling to go ahead even though the habitats legislation required by the High Court ruling has not been implemented.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Kay told the court that Greenpeace's case that whales and dolphins can be harmed by oil industry activity was "substantially uncontradicted" by Government and oil industry evidence, and that oil exploration was "at least likely" to have an "adverse effect" on deep water coral reefs.

Greenpeace's case centred on the UK Government's decision to only apply the EU Habitat's Directive up to 12 miles from the coast rather than the 200 mile limit where it licenses oil drilling. The judge said that the government had "clearly" not applied the Habitats Directive offshore.

[2] The government has agreed that the Darwin Mounds coral reefs should be protected as a Special Area of Conservation but has so far failed to do so. St Kilda is Britain's only natural World Heritage Site and one of the most important breeding sites in the world for seabirds. Its population of over one million birds includes the world's largest gannetry and the largest puffin colony in the east Atlantic.

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace Press Office on 020 7865 8255

BP AGM: polar bear

Shareholders to choose between arctic oil or solar factory

A hundred shareholders holding over 120,000 shares today (26/1/00) forced BP Amoco's Arctic exploration plans onto the company's annual general meeting agenda by submitting a formal resolution opposing BP's controversial 'Northstar' project. Investors in BP Amoco will now have the chance to vote on whether the high-risk rig and sub-sea pipeline project in the Arctic Ocean should go ahead. The move will also give BP Amoco's 800,000 shareholders a chance to prevent the company from lobbying for the opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the only part of America's Arctic completely off-limits to oil exploration.

The resolution submitted by British and American investors also asks BP Amoco to invest capital freed up from arctic projects in expanded solar manufacturing capacity. The hundred shareholders have been gathered together by Greenpeace, the US socially responsible investor Trillium Management Corporation and US Public Interest Group - PIRG (1).

Simon Billenness, senior analyst with Trillium Asset Management Corporation said:
"As US investors we support BP Amoco's aim to play a leading role in supplying the world's energy needs without damaging the environment. Unfortunately we have yet to see any sign of BP Amoco actually acting on this green vision. With this resolution, shareholders in the US and for the first time in Europe have a chance to put policy into practice. They can choose between funding dirty arctic oil or clean and profitable solar power."

BP Amoco is forging ahead with Northstar, which will use risky and untested technology to transport oil ashore in pipes buried beneath the seabed. The US Army Corps of Engineers have said that there is an up to one in four chance of a major spill during Northstar's lifetime. Oil spills would harm polar bears, endangered bowhead whales and seals that migrate through the area.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is an important polar bear breeding ground as well as home to indigenous groups such as the Gwich'in people. BP Amoco currently finances 'Arctic Power', a group set up solely to lobby US Congress to open up the wildlife refuge for oil and gas drilling.

Concerned shareholders submitting the resolution are asking BP Amoco to switch investment to solar and make its vision of being a green energy company a reality. BP has a solar subsidiary, Solarex, yet ironically the company is not making profits from solar because of its lack of ambition for solar business.

Solar is too expensive to generate large-scale consumer demand because the level of solar panel production is too low. However a recent report by financial analysts KPMG, showed that panel prices would come crashing down if just one large solar factory was built. This factory would cost US $500 million, equivalent to the lowest estimate for the cost of Northstar. Despite this market opportunity, 99.95% of BP Amoco's investments are in fossil fuels - which cause devastating climate change. BP Amoco's CEO John Browne has made widely publicised statements supporting action on climate change - while encouraging massive oil expansion in the Arctic. The Western Arctic is on the frontline of climate change, warming three to five times faster than the Earth as a whole, resulting in major problems like a reduction in sea ice, which is threatening Arctic species such as the polar bear and walrus who feed on the ice.

Greenpeace campaigner Stephanie Tunmore said:
"The Arctic already undergoing massive changes due to global climate change. Polar bear populations are already suffering. Yet BP Amoco is investing US $5 billion on arctic oil expansion. This is entirely incompatible with their vision of being environmentally responsible."

Notes to Editors:
1. In the UK, a shareholders resolution must be signed by 100 shareholders on whose shares there has been paid up to an average sum of at least £00 nominal value.

2. Trillium Asset Management is a leading US social investor managing $600 million in client assets. It has supported numerous shareholder resolutions including one submitted to Amoco in 1993, which resulted in the company withdrawing from Burma in 1994.

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255

coral reef

Responding to the news that the Government would not appeal the recent High Court judgement in Greenpeace's favour on the extent of the EU Habitat's Directive, Greenpeace climate campaigner Matthew Spencer said: "This is great news -We hope the Government will now implement the Directive fully. This means putting the needs of wildlife before the needs of oil exploration. Greenpeace can now confirm that we will invest any money that we receive from the Government in legal costs in renewable energy projects in Scotland."

Spencer added, "The Government should use the breathing space this creates to think again about the merits of further oil exploration which is fundamentally unsustainable. We've already found four times more oil coal and gas than we can afford to burn if we are to avoid dangerous climate change. We hope that Stephen Byers will commit the Department of Trade and Industry to the only sustainable course - and announce that New Labour is committed to building a new renewable energy industry in Britain."

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace Press Office on 020 7865 8255