Climate Action » Chevron

Richmond Passes Resolution on Limiting CO2

Suzanne Bopp — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:13:25 +0000

Last week the Richmond, California City Council passed a resolution that recognizes 350 ppm CO2 as the sensible limit to prevent catastrophic climate change.

Richmond is home to a large Chevron refinery, which is the largest contributor of emissions in the state.

The Richmond resolution commits the city to a series of educational presentations, beginning a city-wide effort to help everyone understand the necessity of adopting the 350 standard. The city will also organize meetings to enlist participation in the creation of a Climate Action Plan.

Richmond Vice Mayor Ritterman expressed a hope that other cities will follow Richmond’s lead.

The resolution reads, in part:

“WHEREAS, failure to limit CO2 to 350 ppm will likely: kill more people internationally than anything short of all out nuclear war; create a worldwide refugee crisis; impoverish more people than any economic downturn in recorded history; destroy more species than at any time since the extinction of the dinosaurs; and cause the inundation of coastal cities and towns which are home to one billion people; and;

WHEREAS, the world’s leaders at the December 2009 Copenhagen meetings on climate change were unable to provide world wide leadership….

WHEREAS, the longer we delay, the higher the financial and environmental costs will be…

Read the entire resolution at www.350.org.

Chevron Will Shrink Refining Business

Suzanne Bopp — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:10:13 +0000

Chevron, the second-largest U.S. oil company, announced that it is shrinking its refining business and will lay off workers. It did not say which refineries would be affected but will have more details in March.

Rumors are circulating that the Richmond, CA, refinery will be closed in the reorganization. The refinery, the largest greenhouse gas producer in the state, has been involved in a legal battle. Last July, the company stopped construction of a $1-billion upgrade when a state judge agreed with a lawsuit claiming that the refinery’s environmental impact report was incomplete. The company appealed the decision. The company suggested if the upgrade had been allowed to go forward, there would be reason to keep the refinery open.

As demand for oil and gas has declined in the economic downturn, refineries are struggling to make money. Other major oil companies have also announced cutbacks of various kinds: ConocoPhillips will sell some $10 billion worth of assets, and Royal Dutch Shell plans to lay off 5, 000 employees.

31 Protesters Arrested at Chevron Headquarters

Suzanne Bopp — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:47:30 +0000

About 100 people gathered yesterday in front of Chevron’s San Ramon, CA, headquarters. They were there to protest Chevron’s track record of obstructing climate change legislation and regulation as well as destruction of communities the environment. By noon, most of those arrested were cited and released.

David O’Reilly, Chevron’s outgoing CEO, and his successor, John Watson, have sharply criticized domestic global warming legislation and long-term targets for reducing climate pollution. In the first half of 2009, Chevron spent nearly $13 million lobbying the federal government, more than twice the amount it spent during the same period the previous year.

The protest was organized by the Mobilization for Climate Justice West, a coalition representing more than 30 local social justice, environmental and human rights groups.
The protesters signed a letter to incoming Chevron CEO John Watson, calling for three actions:

1. Support equitable, science-based emissions reduction targets and climate solutions in international climate change negotiations and domestically.
2. Pledge not to support fake “grassroots” campaigns against national climate change legislation.
3. Cap the crude and stop expanding into heavier, dirtier sources of crude oil.

- Suzanne Bopp