Lysekil, Sweden – Swedish oil company Preem announced today it will cancel its plans to expand their oil refinery Preemraff. Preemraffs expansion has been the single biggest climate issue in Sweden during 2020, with massive protests across the environmental movement. The decision comes two weeks after a range of activities from the Swedish climate movement against the refinery and Greenpeace Sweden activists blocking an oil tanker outside Preem’s refinery for more than 60 hours[1]. 

Isadora Wronski, Head of Greenpeace  Sweden said:

“This is a victory for the climate movement, the Swedish democracy and hope for a sustainable society. It would have been destructive and dangerous to expand fossil fuel operations in the middle of the climate emergency.”

If Preem would have been granted their expansion, emissions would have increased by one million tonnes of CO2 per year and would have made Preemraff Sweden’s single biggest source of emissions. Now, Preem themselves pulled out of the process, citing economical reasons. Preem claims they’ll transition towards a renewable production, which remains to be proved according to Isadora Wronski.

“Science is clear, we need to address both the climate and biodiversity crisis. The days of the combustion technique are counted. We can no longer create energy by burning fossil fuels, forests or animal residuals. We need to reduce our demand for energy and electrify.”

ENDS

Notes

1. Greenpeace previously blocked Preem’s oil refinery for 62 hours, press release from the blockade is to be found here.

Photo and video can be found here.

A campaign briefing about Preem can be found here.

Contacts

Fanny Jönsson, Communication Officer, Greenpeace Nordic, [email protected] +46 70 283 30 36

Greenpeace International Press Desk, [email protected],  +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)

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