STOP MAI |
Authorised
by the STOP-MAI Campaign Coalition (WA) Affiliated
with the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
(AFTInet) |
| STOP MAI |
Authorised
by the STOP-MAI Campaign Coalition (WA) Affiliated
with the Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network
(AFTInet) |
Australian activists support global actions against Exxon Mobil
Today, 11 July, is a day of international boycotts and other actions by grassroot activists against Exxon Mobil, which is blamed for influencing US president George 'Dubya' Bush to withdraw from the Kyoto climate protocol.
The actions are being held in the lead up to the July climate negotiations in Germany, and will be part of an ongoing campaign on climate and fossil fuels. Activists from Australia, Nigeria, Europe, Cameroon, the United States, Central America and South Africa called for the action at the Canberra Global Greens Conference in April..
Exxon Mobil continues to fund "greenhouse skeptics", has spent millions on greenwash advertisements, was one of the top contributors to Bush's election, and has been active in lobbying the US government to reject the Protocol. While activists acknowledge that the greenhouse gas cuts under the Kyoto Protocol are minimal compared with what is required to stabilise the climate, it is an important first step.
Refinery problems, contaminated fuel
In Australia, communities are campaigning over refineries in Williamstown and trying to achieve justice for the workers injured in the Esso Longford gas explosion. Meanwhile, federal environment minister Senator Robert Hill is supporting the United States in the oil companies' attempts to scuttle the Kyoto Protocol.
It is also remembered that Mobil last year declined to accept federal government mediation with Australian air transport companies whose planes were grounded when the company sold them contaminated fuel in November, 1999
In Melbourne, protesters will hang banners over key arterial routes and then target Mobil service stations in the federal seat of Aston where a by election will be held on Saturday. Elsewhere, many thousands of sympathisers will simply avoid refuelling their cars at Mobil petrol stations.
ends #042
PHONE CONTACTS: Brian Jenkins +61 8 9528 1864; Dion Giles 0411 745 538