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KYOTO PROTOCOL ENTERS INTO FORCE WITH U.S. ON SIDELINES Corporate Accountability Activists Urge Bush Administration to Prioritize People's Health Over Big Oil Profits as Majority of Countries Take Action on Global Climate Change For Immediate Release: Contacts: BOSTON--Today the Kyoto Protocol enters into force despite years of Bush Administration and oil industry efforts to derail the treaty. 128 countries have ratified and will be proactive in addressing global climate change. While governments take this long-awaited step to protect people's health and the environment, public interest organizations insist that Kyoto is only the first step. Meanwhile, for US environment and health advocates the milestone is a stark reminder of the influence that giant oil corporations have over national policy. "As the Kyoto Protocol and the global tobacco treaty both enter into force, February is an important month for international regulations and the global community," explains Corporate Accountability International's Executive Director, Kathryn Mulvey. "The Kyoto Protocol, while not without shortcomings, is a major step forward in global cooperation to protect people's lives and the environment. At the same time, we are very concerned about the increasingly isolationist position of the US on important international humanitarian issues." The US has a long record of derailing international agreements meant to protect health, the environment and human rights. The US has failed to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Persistent Organic Pollutants Treaty, and the Treaty to Ban Land Mines. Under the Bush Administration, industry interference in public policy has reached unprecedented levels. Less than ten years after the world celebrated George H.W. Bush's signing the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, George W. Bush pulled out of Kyoto. In the face of resounding international concern about global climate change, the Bush Administration appears partial to energy policy prescriptions of the front groups backed by ExxonMobil and other transnational corporations including: the American Council on Science and Health and the Center for Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change. In response to a request by ExxonMobil, the Bush Administration helped oust the former Chair of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Dr. Robert Watson, an outspoken critic of the impending dangers of global climate change. Also during the Bush Administration's first term, 41 senior officials were found to be former oil executives or to have substantial financial ties to the oil industry. "The American Petroleum Institute, the oil industry trade group, is one of the world's largest and most powerful producers of junk science--distributing more than 200,000 publications per year. The conflict of interests between oil corporations and energy policy mirrors the conflict between big tobacco corporations and health policy. Our government needs to prioritize people's health over the profits of big oil corporations," says Mulvey. Corporate Accountability International has played a lead role in advancing the global tobacco treaty which has been ratified by 55 countries and enters into force at the end of this month. The US drew scrutiny throughout the negotiations for attempting to water down key provisions such as the ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship--which is opposed by tobacco giant Phillip Morris/Altria. The Bush Administration signed the treaty, formally known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, last May--but has made no serious effort to advance its ratification. The treaty includes measures to protect health policy from interference by tobacco corporations, their subsidiaries and affiliates. According to Corporate Accountability International, a similar regulation would be appropriate to for energy policies. # # # Corporate Accountability International, formerly Infact, is a membership organization that protects people by waging and winning campaigns challenging irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world. Through bold campaigns and a commitment to win, Corporate Accountability International and its members have scored major victories that protect people and save lives. For over 25 years, we've forced corporations--like Nestlé, General Electric and Philip Morris/Altria--to stop abusive actions. For more information visit www.stopcorporateabuse.org.
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