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There is a photo and video of the event in Greenpeace Media Library.
Vienna - Greenpeace activists today hung a giant banner at the venue of the European Gas Conference to protest the fossil fuel industry's plans for "future-proof gas" in the face of the climate catastrophe.
Climbers from Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe hoisted the six-by-eight-meter banner reading "End Fossil Crimes" on the facade of the Vienna Marriott Hotel on Tuesday morning, urging fossil fuel companies to stop their climate-damaging activities and be detained for responsible for their crimes.
Speaking at the protests in Vienna, Lisa Göldner, leading activist of Greenpeace's Fossil Free Revolution campaign, said: “The fossil fuel industry is holding meetings behind closed doors to close dirty deals and chart their next trail of global climate destruction. What they won't brag about at these gatherings is how many times they've been convicted or charged with violations of the law, from corruption and bribery to human rights abuses and even complicity in war crimes.”
The direct action took place immediately after publication by Greenpeace Netherlands The Fossil Fuel Crime File: Proven Crimes and Credible Allegations, a selection of felony, civil and administrative offenses committed by the fossil fuel industry and credible allegations against it from 1989 to the present. Of the crimes listed, corruption was the most common in the fossil fuel industry.
The action by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is part of a wider counter-protest against the conference by environmental activists and groups, including a demonstration on Tuesday 28 March at 17:30 CET.[1] It comes a week after the IPCC's latest report said current fossil fuel infrastructure alone is sufficient to exceed the 1,5°C warming limit and that all new fossil fuel projects have halted and existing production rapidly should be discontinued.[2] Greenpeace says conference is trying to green-wash gas despite its high methane emissions. Methane is 84 times stronger than CO2 as a greenhouse gas in the first 20 years in the atmosphere.[3]
Now in its sixteenth year, the European Gas Conference is a forum for representatives of major fossil fuel companies, investors and elected politicians to secretly discuss the expansion of the industry. This year the focus is on Europe's liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and "future[ing] the role of gas in the energy mix".[4]
Representatives of major companies such as EDF, BP, Eni, Equinor, RWE and TotalEnergies are confirmed participants, and Austrian multinational fossil fuel company OMV is this year's host. Tickets for the three-day event from March 27th to 29th are available from 2.599 euros + VAT.[5]
Göldner from Greenpeace Germany added: “Crime is burned into the DNA of the fossil fuel industry. We want this industry to stop new fossil fuel projects, stop breaking the law, and pay for their crimes against people and the planet. But the fossil fuel industry will not accelerate its own decline, so we also call on European governments to set dates for a rapid phase-out of all fossil fuels, including fossil gas, by 1,5, in line with 2035°C fossil fuels and a just transition to renewable energy is the only way to stop the climate crisis and serve justice.”
Please note:
The Fossil Fuel Crime File: Proven Crimes and Credible Allegations: Greenpeace Netherlands has compiled an inventory of real-world criminal convictions, civil offenses and credible allegations against some of the world's most powerful fossil fuel majors over the past three decades to show the extent to which unlawful activity is part of the fossil fuel industry's DNA . The criminal record:
- compiles 17 different categories of unlawful activity, supported by 26 examples of criminal behavior that are either formally established or credibly alleged. It creates a strong basis for the claim that the fossil fuel industry is rising above the law.
- lists a selection of 10 European fossil fuel companies that have been convicted or credibly accused of breaking the law - many of them multiple times.
- According to the compilation The most common crime in the industry is corruption6 cases of which have been included in the Fossil Fuel Crime File.
- In recent years, a new generation of crimes centered around greenwashing and misleading advertising has emerged.
Connections:
[1] https://www.powertothepeople.at/demo/
[2] https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/resources/spm-headline-statements
[3] https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2022/05/30/methan-satellite-algeria-gas-eu/
[4] https://energycouncil.com/event-events/european-gas-conference/
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Photos: Greenpeace
