Ecosummit hijacked by big biz ??
MichaelP
The Observer (London) Sunday August 11, 2002
by Mark Townsend
Top bosses 'hijacking' eco-summit
Heads of multinationals in British delegation
Green groups in uproar over 'pollutants'
Tony Blair's delegation to this month's Earth Summit in Johannesburg
includes senior company bosses whose firms have repeatedly been accused of
polluting the environment.
The news triggered uproar from green groups last night amid renewed
concern that the summit was being hijacked by big business.
Included in the Prime Minister's official delegation to Johannesburg are
UK multinationals that have been involved in rows over important wildlife
habitats globally and even allegations they ignored human rights abuses.
Among the delegation is Bill Alexander, chief executive of Thames Water,
Sir Robert Wilson, executive chairman of mining company Rio Tinto, and
Chris Fay, non-executive director of Anglo American, another of the
world's mining giants.
Campaigners warned that the decision to include multinational companies as
part of a UK delegation designed to help save the planet seriously risked
undermining its green credentials.
Downing Street, still smarting from criticism over its misguided attempt
to drop Environment Minister Michael Meacher from the delegation, has
refused to release the entire official line-up for fear of further attack.
The three companies, among Britain's largest firms, have been involved in
a number of high-profile and damaging accusations over their environmental
record.
Thames Water, the largest water company in the UK with 12 million
customers, has been prosecuted by the Government's Environment Agency
watchdog for pollution on more than 20 occasions since 1996.
During 2000 the firm appeared in court five times for six offences and was
fined a total of 288,000 pounds. Earlier this year it was fined 12,000
pounds after it admitted polluting tributaries in Gloucestershire.
Thames Water has also been fiercely criticised in the past for operating
in Indonesia while President Suharto - whose rule was marked by
allegations of human rights abuses - was in power.
Meanwhile Rio Tinto, the largest mining conglomerate in the world, is the
focus of one of Australia's highest profile environmental rows ever.
The company's plans to mine uranium in one of the planet's most valuable
wildlife sites - Kakadu National Park, a World Heritage Site - has enraged
environmentalists. Clashes involving protesters have led to more than 500
arrests.
And mining giant Anglo American has also been embroiled over claims
concerning its planned operations in Peru and alleged pollution in Zambia.
A spokesman for Friends of the Earth said: 'This is further evidence that
Blair is determined to cosy up to big business at whatever cost.'
Supporters of the summit argue that, for the negotiations to succeed,
delegates from all backgrounds must be present; 1 September has been
designated as business day at the summit where leaders will meet to
discuss issues on global trade.
Britain's delegation also includes members from non-governmental
organisations campaigning over environmental and sustainable development
issues.
A spokesman for Thames Water last night confirmed that Bill Alexander was
scheduled to arrive in Johannesburg on 2 September and would be making a
speech outlining how private water companies could make a contribution to
the environment.
He said: 'We are committed to sustainability. The Suharto regime played no
part in Thames Water's operations in Indonesia. We are there helping some
of the poorest people in Jakarta have access to cheap water.'
A spokesman for Rio Tinto said: 'We are performing pretty well in the
environment, although we haven't always done so and we would be the first
to admit that.'
He said that Wilson would be outlining an action plan to help clean up the
mining industry at the summit.
A spokeswoman for Anglo American said: 'I don't think we have been
particularly targeted for our environmental performance. We take our
environmental performance extremely seriously.'
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