GREENPEACE APPEALS TO BLAIR FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE

London, 21 May 1997

At the launch of Greenpeace's new drive for 'sane energy' in London today, Executive Director Peter Melchett appealed to Tony Blair to "turn Britain away from fossil fuels and towards a renewable energy future".

"When in a hole, first, stop digging"
Dennis Healey

The drive for sane energy is part of the Atlantic Frontier campaign to stop oil exploration in the Atlantic. The campaign opposes new oil developments in the Atlantic on the grounds that there are already more fossil fuels in reserve than can be burnt without causing dangerous climate change. The sane energy drive calls for an investment in renewable energy sources to prevent further climate change and a phase out of fossil fuels. It aims to secure grants to help a minimum of 50,000 UK homes to be solarised by the year 2010.

Lord Melchett stated that "Mr Blair's environmental credibility will hinge on his performance at the "Earth Summit Two" in June and on his policies for the climate conference in Japan in December".

"Is Tony Blair an environmental leader ?" asks Melchett "Mrs Thatcher sounded the alarm on climate. John Major stood still. Is Blair prepared to call time on fossil fuels and begin "new energy?"

A petition aimed at Tony Blair, a new cinema commercial and a major new internet site featuring "time travel" are part of the public outreach work, unveiled at the launch, which Greenpeace will be using throughout the Summer to gain support for its campaign.

Also addressing the launch, Chris Rose, Deputy Executive Director of Greenpeace, said ecological limits set by scientists working for the United Nations Environment Programme mean "three quarters of all earmarked fossil fuel reserves - oil, coal and gas - must stay below ground". The oil industry "is storing up the fuel that can, quite literally, destroy nature".

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