15th April 2010

'Activists Target BP’s Investment in Tar Sands with Roof Occupation'

Climate Campaigners have occupied the Roof of a BP garage today in protest
about the company’s involvement in tar sands, the increasingly
controversial oil extraction industry.

The activists have erected pop-up tents and are unwilling to leave.
Unveiling a banner reading “Tar Sands: Climate Scandal” spokesperson Robin
Monaghan said “BP’s planned investment in tar sands is utterly
unacceptable. We want everyone to know that BP have abandoned their slogan
‘Beyond Petroleum’ by funding this project which will cause irreversible
climate change”.

BP is holding its AGM today, and will receive a shareholders resolution
calling for the company to rethink their involvement with the Sunrise
Project, a method of oil production that is the most energy and carbon
intensive of any used in the oil industry. The resolution, put forward by
group Fairpensions, in association with Unison, The Co-operative and other
shareholders raises concerns over the project’s high carbon dioxide
output, environmental degradation and the disruption to the livelihoods of
indigenous Canadians.

Tar sand oil extraction produces up to 5 times more greenhouse gas
emissions as conventional oil production, and has already deforested an
area of Canadian Boreal Forest the size of England. Huge toxic tailing
ponds have leaked poisons into the local water supply, and communities on
land where tar sands extraction has been imposed are experiencing
disturbingly high rates of rare forms of cancer.


[ends]

For Photos go to  http://www.flickr.com/photos/49307756@N03/

Call Marina Pepper who is currently occupying the roof of the garage on
07732505632

To follow Marina Pepper's live twitter update from the roof go to
 http://twitter.com/MarinaPepper

More information from:

 http://www.fairpensions.org.uk/tarsands

 http://www.no-tar-sands.org

 http://tarsandsinfocus.wordpress.com