TACTICAL VICTORY FOR US AND THE OIL INDUSTRY: GREENPEACE CALLS ON SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY TO RISE ABOVE POLITICS

22 April 2002

Geneva, April 19, 2002: "The air is thicker than crude oil," said Steve Sawyer Greenpeace International Climate Policy Advisor. "Even the most cynical would be shocked by the heavyhanded tactics of the US's bald display of their fossil-fuel backed politics in Geneva today."

Greenpeace denounced the influence of the oil industry and fossil fuel interests in the election of the new Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In today's vote at the IPCC's 19th Session, the candidate supported by the United States was elected after a nasty politicised discussion.

"The US has struck another blow in its broad effort to undermine the science of climate change, and to undermine international institutions and international agreements," said Sawyer.

The United States, acting on the direction of US oil giant Exxon/Mobil, and using Saudi Arabia, other OPEC states, and Japan, has waged a campaign against Dr. Robert Watson, current chair of the IPCC. They are seeking someone who would be less forceful advocate of climate change than Watson - a well respected scientist in the global community.

"The cynicism of the US has reached new heights in this process by pretending that they are acting in the interests of developing countries, who otherwise have received very short shrift from the United States," said Sawyer.

Greenpeace called on Dr. R.K. Pachauri, the Chairman elect of the IPCC, to rise above the forces that put him in place, and live by his own words to continue to challenge those who stand in the way of continuing good science and action to prevent climate change.

"We trust that Dr. Pachauri will continue to facilitate the work of world's best climate scientists," said Sawyer. "But we'll be watching to make sure that the kinds of antics practiced by Exxon, Saudi Arabia and the United States do not sully the ongoing scientific work of the panel."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Steve Sawyer: +31 6 53504715
Susan.Cavanagh@ams.greenpeace.org: +31 6 212 969 10