Climate activists, a proud penguin, king rat, yellow clowns and critical massers joined forces to shut down the Esso petrol station on Exeter Street, Plymouth today.
The climbing clowns scaled the roof while others blocked access to the forecourt.
The atmosphere was celebratory in a doomed planet kinda way! - music and dancing, lots of leaflets given out and a surprising number of positive hoots from passing cars.
There were seven arrests, both the roof team and those blocking the forecourt.

Climate scientists are warning us to make immediate and massive reductions in our carbon emissions or face the end of life on earth, and yet profit-driven corporations and governments are dragging us deeper into climate chaos! We have got to cut ourselves free! We have got to organise ourselves to lead localised low-carbon lifestyles and we've got to leave the fossil fools behind!

PRESS RELEASE 1.4.2008 - For Immediate Release

Fossil Fools Day - Climate Activists Target Irresponsible Esso.
(The U.K. arm of the American oil giant ExxonMobil)

Climate activists from Rising Tide[1] have today occupied the Esso petrol station on Exeter Street in Plymouth.
The demonstrators are calling for ExxonMobil to acknowledge the urgency of climate change, to cease funding think-tanks and lobbyists that are committed to blocking internationally agreed policies on global warming,[2][3] and to start investing in renewable energy.
With banners, leaflets and costumes - this peaceful protest aims to focus attention on Esso as a major obstacle to those seeking solutions that address climate change.
This protest is part of Fossil Fools Day, a nationwide day of action called by Rising Tide for April 1st. While the fools at the head of the fossil fuel empire continue to plunder the earth, climate chaos threatens our very survival.

Despite high-profile campaigns by Greenpeace and Friend's of the Earth,[4][5] Exxon continues to funnel millions of dollars to groups identified as misleading the general public on global warming science and policy.[6]
In 2006 The Royal Society called on Esso to withdraw their support for groups that have "misrepresented the science of climate change by outright denial of the evidence."[7]

As the world's largest private oil company,[8] ExxonMobil has the power to direct the energy industry and policy makers towards a sustainable future. However it continues to invest solely in fossil fuels.
In March of this year Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson promised record levels of fossil fuel investment. From 2008 to 2010 alone the corporation plans to fund 19 new projects which, at peak, will add more than 725,000 oil-equivalent barrels PER DAY to ExxonMobil's production. Mr. Tillerson also proposed to approximately double production of liquefied natural gas (LNG).[9] While combustion of this fuel produces 16% less CO2 than oil,[10] the energy required to process and transport it result in LNG being a major source of greenhouse gases.[11][12]

Last year temperatures in the U.K. were 1.3 degrees warmer that the 1961-1990 average.[13] If we reach two degrees of global warming the rise will trigger carbon-cycle feedbacks from soils and plants - instead of absorbing CO2 they will start to release it. This could tip the planet into runaway global warming by 2050. We must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 60% over the next 10 years to avoid this. If we do not, scientific evidence suggests that climate change will result in the end of life on earth.[14]

The warning signs of climate change are all around us; massive storms, devastating flooding, uncontrollable forest fires. We must make a stand against the lunacy and greed of corporations like ExxonMobil[15] before it is too late!


Notes for editors:

[1] Rising tide is a global network of local groups, taking action against climate change and building a movement based on social and environmental justice. Rising Tide activists from Devon and Cornwall took part in recent actions to highlight the climate impact of the Royal Bank of Scotland and to protest about the environmentally destructive expansion plans at Newquay airport.

[2]  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/sep/26/climatechange

[3]  http://www.exxposeexxon.com/facts/Smoke-and-Mirrors.pdf

[4]  http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/exxon-still-funding-climate-ch

[5]  http://www.exxon-files.eu/

[6]  http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/assets/binaries/exxon-secrets-analysis-of-fun

[7]  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2006/sep/20/oilandpetrol.business

[8] In 2005, ExxonMobil made an all time record profit of $36.1 billion - more than any corporation in history. In 2006, the company exceeded its own record with another $39 billion in profit.
 http://www.exxposeexxon.com/facts/failedpolicies.html

[9]  http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=115024&eventID=1746215

[10]  http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/188

[11]  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquefied_natural_gas#_note-1

[12]  http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/liquified-natural-gas/

[13]  http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/2007/seasonal.html

[14]  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article1480669.ece

[15] ExxonMobil also deserves to be shamed for its continued involvement with Arctic Power, the single-issue lobby group intent on plundering the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and for its refusal to pay the punitive damages it still owes for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.
 http://www.exxposeexxon.com/facts/faq.html#1




 plymouth@risingtide.org.uk

 http://www.risingtide.org.uk
 http://www.fossilfoolsday.org/