GREENPEACE-PROTESTS: US-PRESIDENT CLINTON IN BED WITH OIL INDUSTRY

Vienna, 3 November 1997

This morning Greenpeace Austria protested against Bill Clinton's climate policy infront of the US-embassy in Vienna. The action presents US-President Clinton in bed with an oil barrel. Instead of taking care of climate protection, Clinton teams up with the oil industry and promotes a desastrous climate policy. Twenty Greenpeace-activists set up a bed infront of the US-embassy, one dressed up as Bill Clinton another as an oil-barrel. Both shared the bed and felt cosy. A banner was telling ,Clinton: Wake Up. Save the Climate Now. Greenpeace".

Because of intensive lobbying and a 13 million US$-public relation-campaign, oil, coal and automobile industry influence US-politics, denying global climate change and halting measures to protect the climate", said Erwin Mayer, climate expert of Greenpeace Austria. ,Greenpeace demands US-President Bill Clinton to liberate his policy from oil-industry embrace. He better should follow the example of European Union and give the go-ahead for climate protection"

The USA are preparing a totally insufficient proposal for the UN-climate conference taking place December 1 to 12 this year in Kyoto, Japan. The US-position of stabilizing greenhouse emissions only until 2010 on the basis of 1990 represents the position of US fossile industries Fred Singer, an infamous greenhouse sceptic and oil-industry lobbyist is touring Austria on behalf of industry. Today, he will present the industry-financed propaganda with a speech in the Austrian parliament.

The EU has suggested to reduce greenhouse emissions until 2010 by 15 %. Erwin Mayer said: ,The USA and their pledge to climate protection is way behind other industrialized nations. They try to be free-rider in climate policy."

Greenpeace demands a reduction of greenhouse emissions to significantly reduce climate change. Greenpeace supports the reduction target brought forward by the AOSIS states, AOSIS, the alliance of endangered insular states, demands minus 20 % until 2005 on the basis of 1990.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Erwin Mayer, Greenpeace Austria, tel: +43 1 713 00 31 48

Alexander Egit, Greenpeace Austria, tel: +43 1 713 00 3125,

Robert Francan, Greenpeace Austria, mob: +43 664 103 08 18