16.07.2008
Oxford Climate Action activists have today blockaded the headquarters of Edelman PR. They arrived at 9:30 to protest the PR giant’s collusion with E‑On in “greenwashing” its proposed Kingsnorth power station development. Several protestors gained access to the firms offices. Others outside climbed onto the roof to unfurl a banner reading “Edelman: Spinning The Climate Out Of Control” as another colourful contingent spoke to passers by about the protest. MP John MC Donnell has also dropped by to lend his support.
Edelman have been employed by E‑On to promote “E.On’s interests across the gas, coal, nuclear and renewables sectors, not just lobbying for Kingsnorth”[1]. Today, they have sponsored a climate change summit along with BMW. The protestors claim that this is a conscious tactic to become green by association without taking meaningful action to stop climate change. The protesters also aim to highlight the insanity of investing in new coal power stations like Kingsnorth, in the face of human caused climate change[2].
Protestor Debbie Locke said, “Coal is the dirtiest form of fossil fuel. Edelman are telling E‑On to say that Carbon Capture and Storage can help. But CCS is an unproven technology and 20 years away at the earliest.[3][4] We’re here to reclaim the PR machine for normal people who want to see real action on climate change not another dose of corporate greenwash”.
The protestors have been inspired to take action by the Camp for Climate Action which will take place at Kingsnorth from 3–11 August this year.
Edelman have a long record of involvement with ethically questionable companies seeking to improve their image, including AstraZeneca[6], WalMart[7], Pfizer[8].
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Notes For Editors
[1] Clare O’Connor, ‘EON turns to Edelman as nuclear debate rages’, PR Week, 13.03.08 prweek.com/uk/news/article/790575/EON-turns-Edelman-nuclear-debate-rages
[2] See ipcc.ch
[3] DBERR, Energy Markets Outlook states that CCS will deliver “no carbon savings in the forecast years until 2020 and then 0.3 MtC”.
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file41995.pdf
[4] The IPCC says that it is unlikely that CCS would be deployed until the mid 21st century.
http://arch.rivm.nl/env/int/ipcc/pages_media/SRCCS-final/SRCCS_WholeReport.pdf
[5] The Camp For Climate Action believes that “large numbers of determined and well-organised people get together they can turn things around, making a historic difference.” Last year’s camp engaged several thousand people to take direct action at Heathrow Airport. http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/home
[6] http://www.prweek.com/uk/sectors/healthcare/article/825671/edelman-overhauls-team-md-leaves/
[7] “AstraZeneca, the large pharmaceutical company, pleaded guilty today to a felony charge of health care fraud and agreed to pay $355 million to settle criminal and civil accusations that it engaged in a nationwide scheme to illegally market a prostate cancer drug.”
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E7D8163BF932A15755C0A9659C8B63
[8] WalMart has been called “The most ruthless company in the world” due to its appalling record on human rights, contempt for communities and the environment
http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/03/16/low-hanging-fruit/
[9] Pfizer has been involved in price fixing, illegally testing drugs on children, blocking efforts to allow people in developing countries access to life-saving drugs and selling drugs linked to adverse side effects in pets:
http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=330#aids
Oxford Climate Action