Lysekil, Sweden – The Swedish Maritime Administration has closed off the fairway leading to Preem’s oil refinery for all traffic. The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior has been blocking all tanker traffic to and from the refinery for 23 hours. The eight tankers that are currently blocked by the Rainbow Warrior are now in effect also stopped by the Swedish authorities. 

The Rainbow Warrior is staying in Brofjorden to continue the peaceful protest. 

“The science is clear, we’re in a climate emergency and the world is burning. There’s no more carbon budget for any fossil expansions anywhere. All fossil infrastructure must rapidly be phased out. Stefan Löfven must choose the Paris Agreement over Preem and stop the expansion of the refinery in Lysekil,” said Isadora Wronski, Programme Manager Greenpeace Sweden.

The Rainbow Warrior has been positioned in Brofjorden, on the Swedish West Coast, since yesterday 7.30 PM CET, blocking all tanker traffic to and from Preem’s Refinery in Lysekil. The Swedish government is currently deciding on an application from the oil company to expand their oil refinery in Lysekil. If the Swedish government grants Preem the permission to expand, this expansion would increase the CO2 emissions from Preemraff by one million tonnes per year, making the refinery the single biggest source of CO2 in Sweden.

“We’re staying until Stefan Löfven steps up to his responsibility as a Prime Minister and stops the fossil expansion of Preem’s refinery in Lysekil. All fossil fuel production needs to be rapidly phased out, and there is no room for any expansions.” Isadora Wronski, Programme Manager Greenpeace Sweden continued.

Notes

Photo and video from the activity is found here.

A campaign briefing can be found here.

(1) Background on the Preemraff court case and appeals

(2) Read more about Preem’s expansion and the Swedish climate law here

This action is part of the wider movement Stoppa Preemraff’s “weeks of action” against Preem’s expansions, including the Flotilla Rainbow Warrior participated in on 5 September.

Contacts

Ludvig Tillman, Communication Officer, [email protected], +46 (0)70 271 64 37

Aud Hegli Nordø, Acting Head of Communications Nordic, [email protected], +47 41470649

Greenpeace International Press Desk, [email protected], [email protected], +47 41470649