GREENPEACE ROUND BRITAIN PETITION TOUR COMES TO SCOTLAND

GREENPEACE ROUND BRITAIN PETITION TOUR COMES TO SCOTLAND 24 October 1997 From October 25 to November 2, people in Scotland will get a chance to add their support to the growing numbers who want action taken to save our climate. Greenpeace is visiting over 50 locations in the coming weeks, gathering signatures for the climate protection campaign petition. The tour features the now famous 'pod', the bright yellow solar survival capsule used by Greenpeace in its occupation of Rockall and again when the environmental organisation occupied BP's Stena Dee oilrig in the North East Atlantic. The pod is returning to Scotland for the first time since it was released by Grampian police in September. It was held as evidence during BP's claim for £1.4 million damages against Greenpeace, although the claim was later dropped. People in Scotland will be encouraged to join the people who have already signed the petition, which calls for an end to new oil exploration off Scotland's coast. It is now accepted by world scientists and politicians that fossil fuels, including oil, are causing climate change and that we must begin reducing our use of them. Thousands of people throughout Britain have joined the campaign, calling for an end to the search for yet more fossil fuels and a switch to investment in clean, renewable energy sources. Celebrity signatories include Kylie Minogue, Ben Elton, Zoe Ball and members of over 60 bands including Damon from Blur, Jarvis Cocker from Pulp and Radiohead. Visitors to will be able to take a look inside the twelve foot long pod and see the provisions and equipment which sustained three activists on Rockall- Britain's loneliest and tiniest outcrop, 289 miles off the Scottish mainland - for 48 days. They will also have an opportunity to speak to one of the activists from Scotland who was on board the MV Greenpeace, the Greenpeace ship that provided support to the activists on Rockall and the Stena Dee. The MV Greenpeace was also involved in several actions against seismic testing vessels in the waters off the coast of Scotland. The pod is going on tour to boost the number of signatures before the international climate Summit in Kyoto, Japan in December. The petition will be presented to the Prime Minister in November. Local Greenpeace spokesperson Cathy Davies said, "Climate change affects everyone. The people of Scotland should have say in how it's tackled. The petition is an important way you can make your concern known, and the more signatures we get, the stronger the message that climate protection should come before oil profits. Come and see us this week, have a look at the pod, which survived Rockall storms, and find out more about the campaign." Anyone unable to visit the pod on these days but who would like to sign up can contact the petition hotline on 0171-865 8223. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Pod Tour Team on mobile on 0831 594 742 or the Greenpeace Press Office: 0171 865 8255/6/7/8 Notes to Correspondents The pod can be found at: Sat 25th Oct - Edinburgh Sun 26th Oct - Edinburgh Mon 27th Oct - Dundee am and Perth pm Tues 28th Oct - Aberdeen Wed 29th Oct - Isle of Skye pm Thurs 30th Oct - Isle of Skye am Friday 31st Oct - Glasgow Sat 1st Nov - Ayr Reports: "Renewable Energy: An Opportunity for Scotland" and "Implications of Climatic Change to Scotland's Wildlife" are available from the Pod Tour Team or Greenpeace Press Office. The pod's tour of Scotland coincides with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh (CHOGM), where climate change is one of many items on the agenda. If no action is taken to reduce emissions from fossil fuels, climate models predict sea level rise will cause the disappearance of member states like the Maldives by 2100