GREENPEACE CALLS FOR AN END TO OIL EXPLORATION AND A PHASE OUT OF FOSSIL FUELS
London (UK), 12 May 1997
In a report published today the environmental organisation Greenpeace has challenged the UK Government to stop oil exploration in the Atlantic Frontier as the first step in a global phase out of fossil fuels.
"Putting the Lid on Fossil Fuels" adopts ecological limits for temperature and sea level rises identified by scientists working for the United Nations (UN). (1) Keeping to these limits produces a budget of 225 billion tonnes of carbon.(2) The report points out that, to keep within these limits (a 1.oC rise in temperature and a 20 cm rise in sea levels) the world cannot afford to burn more than a quarter of known fuel reserves. This represents only 5% of all the fossil fuel resources thought to exist beneath the earth's crust. To explore for yet more oil in these circumstances, the report argues, is not only unsustainable but dangerous and contradicts the objective and obligations of the Climate Convention.(3)
Going beyond these limits may result, the UN has warned, in "rapid, unpredictable and non-linear responses that could lead to extensive ecosystem damage".
The report, an overview of Greenpeace's objections to the Atlantic Frontier oil development in the UK and to the global approach to handling climate change, highlights the hypocrisy of governments in putting CO2 emissions on the climate agenda but not fossil fuel: it says, "Governments are talking environmental protection but when it comes to oil, gas and coal, they are doing business as usual".
Deputy Executive Director of Greenpeace and author of the report Chris Rose said, "There is no alternative to a phase out of fossil fuels if we are to prevent climate change. Since we cannot burn all that we already have, to explore for more oil is not only futile but extraordinarily irresponsible. The UK Government must stop the oil exploration in the Atlantic Frontier and as Foreign Secretary Robin Cook shouldn't cook the planet but lead an international negotiation for the orderly phase out of fossil fuel."
The report points out that the Atlantic oil development was first planned under Labour and Conservative governments before the reality of climate change was realised. The plan is now out of date.
The report also assesses the bio diversity of the Atlantic Frontier and its vulnerability to exploitation for oil and from new deep sea fishing techniques, arguing that it should be preserved for its own sake.
In addition to a section on the wider consequences of oil exploration (including pollution and oil politics) and on the positive economic benefits of investing in a solar industry, the 65-page report ends with a series of recommendations. These include in the UK: a halt to the Atlantic Frontier exploration; a programme to generate 50,000 solar powered homes in the UK and a switch in subsidies from oil to solar.
And in Europe: prevention of further identification of unconventional oil and gas reserves; a phase out of fossil fuels; the removal of all direct and indirect subsidies for the use and development of fossil fuels; the setting of a binding, ambitious target for renewable energies to be agreed at the May 19th Energy Council meeting.
Notes to Correspondents:
1. Copy of the report available on request.
2. Copy of Carbon logic briefing available on request.References:
1. Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases and IPCC (1990) Climate Change, The IPCC Impacts Assessment report prepared for IPCC Working Group II, edited by W.J McTagart et al. Australian Government Publishing Service.
2. 225 gtc/billion tonnes of carbon: see accompanying briefing. This figure can be calculated by converting CO2 ppm (atmospheric carbon dioxide) levels in IPCC climate scenarios, to carbon by weight. This can then be connected to carbon in fossil fuels. At current rates of use, a global 225 gtc budget would run out in 40 years or 30 years at present growth if energy use continues.
3. The Climate Convention signed in Rio requires signatories to take `precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent or minimise the causes of climate change and mitigate its adverse effects'. The Objectives of the Convention which is to stabilise climate changing gases at levels `that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system' to be `achieved within a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner'.
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