Environmental campaigners take aim at oil companies

LONDON, England (CNN) -- While oil companies have stepped up efforts to safeguard the environment over the past few years, some green campaigners remain critical.

Greenpeace argues that the three biggest oil companies -- Esso, Shell, BP -- and others are still the "bad guys of global warming."

It says the companies show no sign of moving from fossil fuels to "green" fuels like bio-diesel and hydrogen.

"Between them the oil companies spend over $35 billion every year digging up more oil and gas," says Greenpeace.

Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and People and Planet have specifically targeted Exxon Mobil in a campaign called Stop Esso, urging consumers to boycott Exxon products.

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Exxon was responsible for the worst oil spill in U.S. history when its tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in 1989 and leaked 11 million gallons of crude oil, polluting more than 1,000 miles of Alaska's shore and killing tens of thousands of birds and marine animals.

Greenpeace accuses Esso of "denying the reality of global warming," not investing in alternatives like wind and solar power and undermining the Kyoto Protocol.

The World Wildlife Fund also criticises Exxon Mobil, calling it a "greenhouse dinosaur".

The large companies also wield political power, donating large sums to U.S. political parties.

Greenpeace says the oil and gas industry donated more than $25 million to the Republican Party in the 2000 U.S. presidential race. "BP and Esso were two of the three biggest donors."

Exxon Mobil says it donated $1.2 million 1999-200 presidential cycle, and BP gave $504,177 through its Political Action Committee, according to Political Money Line, an independent website that tracks political contributions. Neither Exxon Mobil nor BP were listed in the top 100 contributors to political campaigns. Shell gave $138,577, and was ranked as number 791 on the list of contributors.

In a report for the United Nations Environment Programme 2001, representatives from the oil and gas industry said the world used 75 million barrels of oil a day and 220 billion cubic feet of gas.

By 2010, even with modest economic growth, world oil consumption is expected to rise 20 percent to 90 million barrels a day and increase 27 percent to 280 billion cubic feet of gas, the report says.

The future could see less reliance fossil fuels as alternative and renewable energy sources become more practical and widely applicable, said the report, which acknowledged the oil companies' changing role.

"That process is accelerating and the oil and gas industry is playing a significant part in the daunting task of researching, producing and manufacturing a range of economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound energy options."