Rising Tide invades ERM offices over BP Baku pipeline
invasion team | 02.12.2002 11:06
Rising Tide London invades the offices of ERM, the so-called Eco Consultants for BP's Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. They are carrying out an environmental audit in the office of ERM boss, Robin Bidwell. The CSR manager's trying to talk them out.
9.00am., 2.12.02
Eco-protesters target eco-consultants
Direct action protest against controversial BP pipeline
A dramatic protest this morning took place at an unlikely target: environmental consultants. Protesters from London Rising Tide have occupied the Cavendish Square office of Environmental Resource Management (ERM). ERM has been carrying out research work for oil giant BP on the proposed pipelines system planned to be built from Baku in Azerbaijan, through Georgia to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey.
London Rising Tide (LRT) have occupied the office of ERM boss Robin Bidwell, as well as hanging a banner reading ‘oil makes war’ and ‘ERM makes climate change’ from a tree outside his window. They plan to stay put until the company pulls out of the pipeline project, and are prepared to stay overnight and beyond to achieve that aim. ERM offices in Oxford and Manchester have also been targeted today.
ERM has been carrying out Baku-Ceyhan environmental and social impact assessment work for BP since 2000, and continues to play a crucial role in convincing public funders that the project is safe to support.
Similarly, LRT-ers are carrying out an impact assessment of ERM’s office, distributing questionnaires to employees which are modelled closely on the ERM leaflet distributed to communities living alongside the pipeline’s proposed route.
ERM employees are also being encouraged to take a sneaky look at a new website created for them by LRT – www.erm-concerns.com – which includes a knockout game involving the green record of Robin Bidwell, more questions for employees and further information about the pipeline. A dedicated email address has also been set up for employees to express their views on this action, the pipeline and ERM’s role in it:
erm-concerns@yahoo.co.uk
One of the LRT assessor/occupiers, Mary Fulton, said: “ERM are playing a crucial if low-key role in grooming BP’s Baku-Ceyhan pipeline for public investment. We’re in their office today to expose that climate change-inducing role, one which is defined more by the profit-motive than any desire to improve the environment or make life better for communities affected by the oil industry.”
“And we’ll carry on taking direct action until UK cash and UK companies have severed all connections with the planned pipeline,” added Alistair Arnesen, another LRT-er.
London Rising Tide is part of Rising Tide UK, a rapidly-growing grassroots network supporting community initiatives and local protest against climate change, and for climate justice. Rising Tide UK is also part of the international Rising Tide network: www.risingtide.nl
London Rising Tide: shells@gn.apc.org
Rising Tide UK: www.risingtide.org.uk
Eco-protesters target eco-consultants
Direct action protest against controversial BP pipeline
A dramatic protest this morning took place at an unlikely target: environmental consultants. Protesters from London Rising Tide have occupied the Cavendish Square office of Environmental Resource Management (ERM). ERM has been carrying out research work for oil giant BP on the proposed pipelines system planned to be built from Baku in Azerbaijan, through Georgia to the port of Ceyhan in Turkey.
London Rising Tide (LRT) have occupied the office of ERM boss Robin Bidwell, as well as hanging a banner reading ‘oil makes war’ and ‘ERM makes climate change’ from a tree outside his window. They plan to stay put until the company pulls out of the pipeline project, and are prepared to stay overnight and beyond to achieve that aim. ERM offices in Oxford and Manchester have also been targeted today.
ERM has been carrying out Baku-Ceyhan environmental and social impact assessment work for BP since 2000, and continues to play a crucial role in convincing public funders that the project is safe to support.
Similarly, LRT-ers are carrying out an impact assessment of ERM’s office, distributing questionnaires to employees which are modelled closely on the ERM leaflet distributed to communities living alongside the pipeline’s proposed route.
ERM employees are also being encouraged to take a sneaky look at a new website created for them by LRT – www.erm-concerns.com – which includes a knockout game involving the green record of Robin Bidwell, more questions for employees and further information about the pipeline. A dedicated email address has also been set up for employees to express their views on this action, the pipeline and ERM’s role in it:
erm-concerns@yahoo.co.uk One of the LRT assessor/occupiers, Mary Fulton, said: “ERM are playing a crucial if low-key role in grooming BP’s Baku-Ceyhan pipeline for public investment. We’re in their office today to expose that climate change-inducing role, one which is defined more by the profit-motive than any desire to improve the environment or make life better for communities affected by the oil industry.”
“And we’ll carry on taking direct action until UK cash and UK companies have severed all connections with the planned pipeline,” added Alistair Arnesen, another LRT-er.
London Rising Tide is part of Rising Tide UK, a rapidly-growing grassroots network supporting community initiatives and local protest against climate change, and for climate justice. Rising Tide UK is also part of the international Rising Tide network: www.risingtide.nl
London Rising Tide:
shells@gn.apc.org Rising Tide UK: www.risingtide.org.uk
invasion team
Homepage:
www.risingtide.org.uk
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A short on-the-spot report
03.12.2002 17:37
Three London Rising Tide-ers (LRT-ers) were barricaded into Bidwell's office until 3.30 that afternoon, issuing a single demand: that ERM's sever all links with BP, including stopping work on the Baku-Ceyhan pipelines. In the event, they came out voluntarily on the condition that they wouldn't be arrested, joining their friends on the street having been searched, filmed and had their names and other details taken.
It was a great day!
This was the only ERM-focussed action of the day, contrary to references to actions outside London in the earlier press release.
This was London Rising Tide's second action against the proposed pipelines, the first being the Climate Criminals' Critical Mass, back in July this year. But it won't be the last. If you have a little or a lot of time and energy, and would like to get involved, email
A longer report will be posted before the end of the week.
Don't forget also this upcoming meeting:
THE BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE: A CASE STUDY IN THE NEW CORPORATE COLONIALISM
Thursday 5th December 7.30pm- 9.30 pm
St.Clements building, Room S75, London School of Economics, Claremarket St., off Aldwych;
Holborn or Temple tube
Alistair Arnesen
e-mail:
shells@gn.apc.org
Homepage:
www.erm-concerns.com
London+Georgia, Against The Pipeline
03.12.2002 23:19
London Risingtide are not the only activists to have been demonstrating against BP's proposed pipeline...
In Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, on November 27, 2002 a group of citizens together with representatives from NGOs and political parties went to the office of the Georgian International Oil Company (GIOC), one of BP's partners in the pipeline project. The protest came in response to the Georgian Government's announcement that it would come to a decision on whether to issue permission for construction of the pipeline by November 30. (This decision has now been confirmed and the Georgian government has decided to back to project).
The decision violates Georgian environmental legislation as it allows the pipeline to pass through protected areas and "water sanctuary" zones in the sensitive Borjomi Gorge (famous for its mineral water). The decision was made quickly (seemingly under pressure from BP) without allowing the Georgian government sufficient time to fully consider the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) undertaken by ERM on behalf of BP (and it's partners).
This outcome makes it clear that the ESIA: the one thing which might have given the host countries (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey) some protection and an opportunity to vito or steer the project will in fact be steam-rollered. BP is clearly in the driving seat. The Georgian government admits that the decision was made to meet the project timescale (and thus fulfil BP's requirements).
A GIOC spokesman shrugged off environmental concerns, saying that due to the pipeline operator's high professionalism the risk would be "zero minus one". After reading a recently published book "Some Common Concerns" about BP's record and prospects for the proposed Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan pipeline one might be sceptical about BP's ability to meet such high standards: The book looks at BPs record through existing pipelines in Alaska, Colombia and the north sea and a catalogue of associated environmental and safety incidents.
To read more about the Georgian demonstration see the news article "Georgians Protest Zero Minus One Risk Theory in Baku-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline" on
To order a full copy of the book or find out about the Baku-Ceyhan campaign in Britain email:
For more information/to get involved in future actions on the pipeline and global climate justice contact Risingtide:
More information on the campaign in Georgia:
Manana Kochladze, CEE Bankwatch Network/Green Alternative
(+99) 532 22 38 74
Ben
e-mail:
baku@gn.apc.org
Homepage:
http://www.falkor.org