GREENPEACE HANGS BANNER ON ARCO HEADQUARTERS

Los Angeles, CA 15 October 1997

Los Angeles, CA - Today, Greenpeace activists are staging a daring protest at ARCO headquarters in Los Angeles. The group is now deploying a banner stating "Arctic Oil = Global Warming, Chill the Drills" featuring a large polar bear protecting her habitat. The banner will be deployed by 9:00 AM PST. Three Greenpeace activists are already under arrest: Dick Dillman, Woody Beardsley, and Dave Augeri.

This is the latest in a series of protests against a company that has actively blocked progress on a global Climate Treaty and aggressively pursued new oil development.

Greenpeace is taking action to stop big oil from causing further climate damage, unlike President Clinton and Vice President Gore, who appear to be promoting big industry's agenda.

"ARCO is trying to explore for new oil that we can't afford to burn if we are to avoid dangerous climate change and global warming," said Kalee Kreider, Climate Campaign Director for Greenpeace USA.

ARCO will begin exploratory drilling for new oil reserves off the coast of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in November 1997 despite attempts, on the high seas, by Greenpeace to stop the delivery of a huge oil rig this summer.

ARCO, and other oil companies, are members of the American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry lobby group engaged in a campaign to prevent international agreement to halt global warming. In its latest bid to derail climate negotiations, the head of API sent a message to the leaders of developing nations threatening the loss of foreign investments for countries which support tougher climate controls.

"It is imperative Clinton and Gore show the American public they will stand up to big oil by announcing their support for a legally binding treaty which cuts carbon dioxide emissions twenty percent below 1990 levels by 2005," said Kalee Kreider.

"The Clinton Administration has floated weak and utterly unacceptable positions for the US to take as part of the Climate Treaty negotiations," continued Kreider. "The Administration has clearly decided it is in it's own best interest to embrace the position of oil giants, like ARCO, rather then protect public health and the environment."

Some of the potential impacts of global warming include more frequent and severe El Nino events, extreme weather floods, and droughts. Alaska is warming at two to three times the global rate, which could threaten the ecosystem polar bears and other wild life depend on.

For more information contact -
On-Site: Kalee Kreider 1 202 236 2579
In Washington, DC: Andrew Davies 1 202 319 2432