You know from various correspondence and discussions between our organisations why Greenpeace is involved in its campaign to prevent oil exploration in the Atlantic Frontier. Our urgent concern is to stop further exploitation of oil in Frontier areas on global climate grounds, and to force or facilitate the global negotiation of a phase out of fossil fuels. BP, for its part, is at the forefront of these developments at its Foinaven field.

As well as being the most advanced of the Atlantic fields, Foinaven is also a technology proving ground for deep water, offshore exploration. Although to date no oil has yet been produced due to technical problems with your FPSO Petrojarl Foinaven, it came to our notice recently that the Stena Dee semi-submersible rig was on its way to the field in order to finalise technical preparation for oil production.

In order to prevent this, two Greenpeace activists are aboard the Stena Dee and we have two ships standing by.

In May you spoke to the students of Stanford University and said that the time to contemplate action to prevent further climate change:

"is not when the link between greenhouse gases and climate change is conclusively proven but when the possibility cannot be discounted and is taken seriously."

BP, you said, had reached that point. (Greenpeace agrees and I would only add to this statement that greenhouse gas pollution is primarily caused by burning fossil fuels. As you may know all of the other major UK Environment groups agree with us that reliance on fossil fuels should be ended -- see attached letter published in the Independent earlier this year).

In an interview for the New York Times last week you were quoted as saying in relation to greenhouse gases:-

"It seems to us it's time we should do something....Just because there are uncertainties it doesn't mean you just stand still and do nothing."

Again, Greenpeace agrees. And we have done something. We have taken a stand against exploration for more fossil fuels in light of the fact that, to protect the climate, we cannot afford to burn even a fraction of known fossil fuels (including oil) reserves.

This is why I am writing to call on BP to take the next logical step in its conversion from a company which had denied the science of climate change, to an energy company which acts in a responsible manner. This step is to accept the carbon logic and your industry's role in it, leading to the inevitable need for a fossil fuel phase out. This is the agenda for your meeting with Peter Melchett on 1st September, and this is the reason for our activists boarding the Stena Dee.

If you will agree to "call off" the Stena Dee and return her to port, and not take any steps to further facilitate the production of oil from the Petrojarl Foinaven, our activists will disembark. Otherwise we reserve the right to take whatever non-violent direct action is necessary, in the interests of the climate, to make production of oil from the Foinaven field impossible, pending the 1st September meeting.

Chris Rose
Acting Executive Director
Greenpeace UK