Greenpeace finishes badly: ecologists to face more court examinations

Greenpeace has lost. The Paris court allowed a suit of Esso, an ExxonMobil department in France, to the local Greenpeace department.

Oil tycoons were hurt by a Greenpeace Internet publication where the company name Esso had two dollar symbols instead of the double S. This became Greenpeace’s condemnation of Esso and ExxonMobil’ false propaganda; ecologists say, the companies use their financial strength to hamper international ratification of the Kyoto protocol on environmental protection. By replacement of the double S in the name of the company, the authors of Stop Esso revelatory campaign demonstrate, management of the concern speeds up ecological degradation of the planet.

Esso spokesmen demand that the Greenpeace department in France should be fined with 80,000 euro for every day of the court decision neglect. The court decreed, daily penalty should make up 5,000 euro. This court decision may have rather unfavorable consequences for ecologists. Greenpeace is used to scandalous public actions, although, the actions are not really much effective. In any case, Greenpeace activists devote their activity to environmental protection, the fact that gains sympathy with the press and ordinary people. It seems that Greenpeace staff in France was not ready for court examinations. So, Esso leadership and lawyers may serve an example for other companies. Now any company can appeal to court when it thinks that ecologists mar their business reputation, financial compensation of the damage should be demanded in this case. So, Greenpeace should get ready for long court procedures. Are ecologists ready? Now the picture is available on the site of &to=http://www.greenpeace.fr/stopesso/cdp20020701.html'target=_blank>Greenpeace French department only.

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/07/09/43879.html