Posted
22nd July 2001
Corporate War
Corporates Declare War On Climate FOE (Friends of the Earth)
has counted almost 400 business and industry
lobbyists present in Bonn (there may be others of which we are
not aware).
The
top sectors are:
Fossil Energy industries - 84 reps including 28 from oil companies
Management Consultants and businesses promoting emissions trading
- 72 reps
Automotive industry - 22 reps
Nuclear industry - 21 reps
Aluminium (very energy intensive industry) -20 reps
Insurance and investment - 20 reps
Renewable energy and CHP - 18 reps
Forests and paper industries - 18 reps.
The energy and oil industry lobby is changing its name if not
its spots.
There are only 5 people in the Global Climate Coalition delegation,
but oil company lobbyists in, for example, the Business Roundtable,
International Emissions Trading Association, the International
Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (sic)
and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The International Chamber of Commerce delegation also includes
many energy and nuclear lobbyists. The growth of interest in
emissions trading (a key loophole in the Climate treaty) is
demonstrated by the fact that management consultants now have
far more reps than any other sector apart from energy. Of course,
these lobbyists have some interest in the delivery of a ratified
protocol, unlike the fossil fuel lobbyists.
Key
companies represented in Bonn which have lobbied against Kyoto
include:
Exxon 1 rep
Texaco 5 reps
Chevron 3 reps
BNFL 2 reps
General Motors 2 reps
TotalFinaElf 1 rep
Statoil 1 rep....
Others include: Toyota (5), BP (7), Siemens (2), and COGEMA,
Daimler Chrysler, Ford, Powergen, Gaz de France, BG, Boeing,
Mitsubishi, Yamaha, VW and Audi.
Duncan McLaren of Friends of the Earth comments: "The corporate
lobbyists have hit Bonn in force. Of course, some represent
industries and sectors with a real interest in and commitment
to fighting climate change. But most are the same old fossils
from the fossil fuel lobby, here in the hope of performing the
death rites of the Kyoto Protocol.
These
lobbyists make a fat living by denying the reality of climate
change. My question to them would be: do your mothers know what
you do for a living? The millions of people all over the world
whose jobs, homes and lives are threatened by climate change
will be demanding that Governments give the lobbyists out to
wreck Kyoto the hostile reception they deserve."..
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