[North-NV-Greens] Fwd: Greenpeace Activists Halt Oil Trading

[Paul Etxeberri]

>
>Greenpeace Activists Bring Oil Trading to a Halt
>
>By James Sturke
>
>February 17, 2005. lndependent/UK
>
>http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0217-05.htm
>
>LONDON - Environmental activists have burst onto the floor of
>London's International Petroleum Exchange and halted trading
>in protest at oil industry activity the day the Kyoto climate
>treaty has come into force.
>
>Some 20 Greenpeace protesters led by director Stephen Tindale
>stormed the trading floor on Wednesday and brought business
>in Brent crude oil and gas oil futures to a halt before being
>beaten back by outraged traders.
>
>"It was to send a message to the oil industry on the day
>Kyoto comes into force that business as usual is no longer an
>option," Tindale told Reuters by telephone from the central
>London building on Wednesday.
>
>"The oil industry has been key to preventing progress on
>climate change which is why it has taken so long for Kyoto to
>come into force. But scientists are telling us we are getting
>dangerously close to the point of no return," he added.
>
>"To be ramping up production -- which the oil industry seems
>to be doing -- on the day Kyoto comes into force is simply
>irresponsible," he added.
>
>An IPE spokeswoman said open outcry trading was suspended for
>an hour but electronic trading continued throughout."
>
>The protesters spend a short time on the trading floor with
>foghorns and balloons to make their message clear before
>being forced back.
>
>"I have to say we weren't listened to by the traders. They
>were more interested in punching us than listening to us,"
>Tindale said.
>
>Under Kyoto, developed nations will have to cut emissions of
>greenhouse gases by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.
>
>Supporters of the 141-nation pact say it is a tiny step to
>slow global warming by imposing legally binding caps on
>greenhouse gas emissions in 35 developed nations, mainly from
>burning fossil fuels in power plants, factories and cars.
>
>Climate experts fear projected temperature rises could
>disrupt farming, raise sea levels by melting icecaps, cause
>more extreme weather like hurricanes or droughts, spread
>diseases and wipe out thousands of animal and plant species
>by 2100.
>
>The United States pulled out in 2001, saying Kyoto was too
>costly, based on unreliable science, and unfairly excluded
>big developing nations like India, China and Brazil, which
>account for a third of the world's population.
>
>The Greenpeace raid was one of a number of protests staged
>across the globe.
>
>Green groups marked the day with protests outside U.S.
>embassies and consulates, street parades in Japan and by
>carving fast-melting ice sculptures of kangaroos in
>Australia.
>
>© 2005 Reuters Ltd.
>
>
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-- 
Paul Etxeberri

"Forests precede civilizations and deserts follow"   ---Chateaubriand