Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Fossil Fuel Majors Ignore Climate Crisis

Eminent US environmentalist warns that fossil fuel use is destroying the planet, and calls for curbs on the political power of the oil industry.


Bill McKibben, pictured speaking at an environmental protest in the US, says civil action can help save the planet. (Image Credit: chesapeakeclimate via Flickr) Click to Enlarge.
Bill McKibben, the US environmentalist who is one of the world’s foremost authors and activists on issues of global warming, does not mince his words.

“We have to check the power of the fossil fuel industry,” he says.  “It’s going to take an immense amount of work, but if we don’t win, then there won’t be any future.”

In an interview with Climate News Network, McKibben said that oil majors such as ExxonMobil and Shell show no signs of rethinking their policies or re-ordering their activities.

“They are digging deeper and choosing to ignore what’s going on,” he warned.  “Recent work by investigative journalists shows that ExxonMobil knew all about climate change and its effects on the world 40 years ago.

Deep trouble
“If it had spoken out, maybe we wouldn’t be in the deep trouble we’re now in.  It was prepared to keep the fossil fuel industry going, even at the risk of breaking the planet.”
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“In terms of saving the planet from the impact of climate change, we are cutting it extraordinarily close,” McKibben says.

“We have an enormous battle on our hands – a battle that’s not going to be won at the UN but by civil society action.”

Read more at Fossil Fuel Majors Ignore Climate Crisis

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