'Green' Issues Once Again Top Industry Agenda

Environmental/energy issues are again in the headlines, with a United Nations assembly in New York last week debating climate change and Greenpeace once again snapping at the heels of a petroleum company. Government leaders gathered to assess progress since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. They heard how targets set then, including reduced air pollution and biodiversity protection, have been missed. New U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair kicked off the debate with a vow to look into use of

June 30, 1997

2 min read

Government leaders gathered to assess progress since the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. They heard how targets set then, including reduced air pollution and biodiversity protection, have been missed.

New U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair kicked off the debate with a vow to look into use of taxes to reduce energy use in Britain and a promise to promote renewable energy schemes.

European Union (EU) leaders expressed anger with U.S. and Japanese refusal to set specific targets for cuts in emissions of so-called greenhouse gases linked by some to global warming. EU failed to win support for a 15% cut in emissions during 1990-2010.

Jacques Santer, EU president, said, "I am frankly disappointed that not all our partners are making quantified commitments to cutting greenhouse gases. The future of the planet is at stake."

Greenpeace action

Meanwhile, Texaco Britain Ltd. is the latest U.K. operator to fall afoul of a Greenpeace protest. The environmental pressure group wants oil developments west of the Shetland Islands to be halted.

A number of Greenpeace inflatable rafts buzzed around the Pacific Horizon seismic survey vessel on June 23 as it gathered data on a Texaco block west of Shetland. Texaco complained that Greenpeace's action put activists and the crew of the seismic ship at risk, and did nothing to address the real issues surrounding safe and environmentally sound development of U.K. resources. A Greenpeace official said the action was a success, because Pacific Horizon's streamers were hauled in soon after the rafts arrived, and the ship stopped gathering data for the day.

Recent Greenpeace actions include placing solar panels on top of a BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd. building in Aberdeen, protesters chaining themselves to railings at a London office of Conoco (U.K.) Ltd., and occupation of Rockall, a tiny island off western Scotland.