Category Archives: Climate and energy

2012 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Dutch Court ruling against Shell a partial victory

Friends of the Earth International

January 30, 2013

THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS, January 30, 2013 — Today a Dutch court ruled that Shell Nigeria is responsible for polluting farmlands in a landmark case brought by four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth Netherlands. The court said Shell’s subsidiary is accountable for damage caused by oil spills at Ikot Ada Udo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Though this is an important victory, Friends of the Earth International is disappointed that the court did not return a similar verdict in the cases brought by the plaintiffs from Goi and Oruma communities. The plaintiffs and Friends of the Earth Netherlands plan to appeal this ruling, as well as the principle point of the liability of the Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) parent company.

“This win for the farmers of Ikot Ada Udo has set a precedent as it will be an important step that multinationals can more easily be made answerable for the damage they do in developing countries. We anticipate other communities will now demand that Shell pay for the assault on their environment,” says Friends of the Earth Nigeria’s Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, who has played a pivotal role in bringing to light the havoc wreaked by Shell in the Niger delta.

Likewise, Friends of Earth Netherlands campaigner Geert Ritsema comments: “This verdict is great news for the people in lkot Ada Udo who started this case together with Friends of the Earth Netherlands. But the verdict also offers hope to other victims of environmental pollution caused by multinationals. At the same time, the verdict is a bitter disappointment for the people in the villages of Oruma and Goi — where the court did not hold Shell liable for the damage. Fortunately, this can still change in an appeal,” he added.

The four Nigerian plaintiffs have been demanding that Shell cleans up the oil pollution in their communities, compensates those affected and prevent further leaks from occurring. The communities of the Niger Delta depend primarily on the environment for their livelihoods, including farming and fishing. Oil industry operations in the Niger Delta have damaged or destroyed local food and water supplies, biodiversity and fishing ponds and crops that locals had used to earn money. Today’s ruling follows a hearing in October 2012, which was a landmark in itself.

The court decided not to hold the parent company liable for damage done in Nigeria. Friends of the Earth Netherlands was denied access to evidence proving Shell’s international parent company based in the Netherlands (RDS) determines the daily affairs of Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary (SPDC). RDS owns 100% of SPDC shares. SPDC’s profits (estimated at €1.8 billion annually) are deposited in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, under existing laws, RDS cannot be held liable for the damage done on the basis of these facts alone. Friends of the Earth Netherlands must prove that governance actually comes from the headquarters in the Netherlands. Because Shell has not been ordered by the court to allow access to internal company documents which would demonstrate their governance of SPDC, it has been very difficult to prove this. “Apparently our justice system allows a company to pocket the profits from a foreign subsidiary without being held liable for the damage it causes while producing those profits,” said Geert Ritsema of Friends of the Earth Netherlands.

The court also ruled that Shell has convincingly proven that sabotage was involved in two of the three villages. The plaintiffs find it incomprehensible that the court has allowed itself to be convinced by a number of blurry photos and poor quality video images submitted by Shell.

With the plaintiffs, Friends of the Earth International remains convinced that poor maintenance is the cause of the spills. Even where sabotage is involved, Friends of the Earth International believes that Shell bears responsibility and is liable for the damage.

The widespread devastation faced by communities in the Niger Delta as a result of oil spills by companies like Shell also demonstrates the urgent need for a global transition away from corporate-controlled dirty energy like oil, coal, gas, industrial agrofuels and mega-dams, and the development and roll-out of clean energy alternatives which are appropriate to the needs of communities and under their democratic control. This transition is urgently needed if we are to stop catastrophic climate change and avoid climate tipping points while at the same time addressing the inequalities that prevent millions of people from accessing clean, affordable fuel to meet their basic energy needs.

For more information

More information on the background of the case can be found on the
website of Friends of the Earth Netherlands: www.milieudefensie.nl.

For questions about the court case, please contact the Friends of the Earth Netherlands press office, +31(0)20-5507333.

Blogs | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Climate change and farmers’ livelihoods

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada.Farmers across Canada have been dealing with changing weather patterns in recent years. From droughts and floods in the Prairies to storms and blights in the Maritimes, people who rely on the land to make a living are suddenly being forced to adapt.

Over the past few months one of our volunteer researchers, Bryan Dale, has been looking into these issues. So far, his investigation has proven to be very revealing, as farmers from across the country have shared diverse and troubling stories about how climate change is affecting them.

In Ontario, for example, apple farmers are struggling through one of the worst growing years in recent memory. Due to an unusually long period of warm weather in March, followed by a spring frost, the buds of most apple trees were killed off, leaving farmers with 15 to 20 per cent of their usual yield. Producers in the southwest of the province have reported that this may be the worst climatic event they’ve experienced since 1945.

On coastal areas of British Columbia apple farmers have also experienced problems, but for a different reason. In that region, a severe infestation of tent caterpillars devastated crops and forced farmers to cancel a long-standing apple festival. As in Ontario, they are left hoping that these types of extreme circumstances will not develop into a pattern that would be repeated with any frequency.

Yet this may be just what is in store for farmers. According to a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Quebec, scientists are developing a range of models to predict how anticipated fluctuations in weather patterns and infestations by pests may affect various crops. While some vegetables may benefit from our changing climate, there is certainly many that will suffer, compelling agricultural producers to change both how and what they grow.

It is already clear that many farmers are paying the price of having to adapt. Apart from crop yields that have plummeted due to extreme weather events, most producers have noticed that the seasons are changing. According to one organic grower, “Due to weather volatility, we are seeing a lot of farmers add greenhouses and hoop-houses to their operations, to help create more stable environments. Certainly, the Maritime farmers are seeing strong storms from hurricanes. Blight and fusarium are also quite common now.”

Friends of the Earth will continue to look further into these issues, including by exploring how small-scale and organic farmers may be disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of increasingly severe and frequent climatic events. We will also examine whether existing government compensation programs may be insufficient to help farmers adapt as they need to. Throughout, our research will consider the political or legal recourses these farmers may have, and how we can support them.

If trends such as those witnessed this year are to continue, agricultural producers will certainly need the support. Whether it is livestock farmers who do not have enough hay to feed their animals due to drought, or maple syrup farmers who are dealing with a noticeable decline in the quality of their product, across Canada people are wondering what is in store.

And, of course, consumers need to be concerned about these trends as well. As the bumper stickers say, farmers feed cities.

Beatrice Olivastri

Earth 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth International

December 8, 2012

Doha climate talks: Industrialised countries block climate action

DOHA, QATAR, December 8, 2012 — Friends of the Earth International has strongly condemned the governments of industrialised countries for blocking action on the climate crisis at a failed UN climate summit in Qatar.

Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth International spokesperson in Qatar said: “The Doha deal is as empty as a desert mirage. Despite the official spin, these talks delivered nothing: no real progress on cutting greenhouse gases and only an insulting gesture at climate finance.

“The blame lies squarely with the rich industrialised world, most notably the United States. The Obama administration is succeeding in its efforts to dismantle the UN global climate regime and other wealthy nations have joined in, paralyzing the climate talks and forcing the world’s poor to pay the price.”

“We demand justice for the people of developing nations who suffer the most from the crisis, a crisis caused mainly by the rich industrialised world.”

“Hope for a solution lies with the people. We must demand action from our governments and reject them if they fail to deliver.”

The 18th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change saw no substantial progress on the promises made by the industrialised world to address its historic role in causing the climate crisis.

Under the Convention, developed countries are committed to deliver strong and binding emissions cuts in line with climate science and equity, and adequate climate finance to compensate developing countries and support their sustainable development.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International energy coordinator said:

“The fossil fuel lobby won the Qatar desert climate battle, where we witnessed dirty industry elites still holding the reins of our governments. Meanwhile the climate crisis worsens and the window for action shrinks day by day. Developed countries did not even try to solve the climate crisis at these talks. Instead, they continued to protect the interests of fossil fuelled corporations and helped financial elites grow their latest cash cow: the global carbon market scam.”

Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator said: “We need a strong and binding international agreement to curb the global climate crisis. But as the talks in Doha show, people around the world cannot wait for our governments to see sense and deliver the solutions. Working together in our communities, people are already resisting fossil fuels and dirty energy, building clean energy cooperatives, transforming our food systems, and protecting our forests, land and water from multinational corporations. Only people-and-planet-centred solutions will solve the climate crisis and create a better future for us all. We must make our governments listen and demand climate justice now.”

For more information

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth International spokesperson in Qatar: +974 3338 6383 (in Doha) / +44 7956 210332 or email asad.rehman [at] foe.co.uk

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International energy coordinator: +44 7912 406510 or email sara.clifton [at] foe.co.uk

Dipti Bhatnagar, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator: +258 840 356 599 or email dipti [at] foei.org

Solar panels in Eastern Ontario. Photo: Mike Buckthought. Photo taken with a solar-powered camera. 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Ontario opinion poll shows solid support for green energy, strong opposition to WTO ruling

Opinion poll released as solar industry meets at convention in Toronto

Ottawa, December 3, 2012 — A new opinion poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada shows overwhelming support for green energy in Ontario, and strong opposition to the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s meddling in buy local programs that create thousands of green jobs for Ontarians.

The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

The survey also found that there is strong opposition to the WTO’s recent challenge of Ontario’s buy local green energy policies. Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents feel that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to encourage investment in green energy, while only 27% believe that it should.

“This opinion poll shows that there is overwhelming support for green energy in Ontario. This strong support should translate into action — governments should encourage the transition to solar and wind power to help reduce record levels of greenhouse gases,” says Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada.

“Almost three-quarters of Ontarians believe that the WTO should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to create green jobs for people in Ontario. We urge the provincial and federal governments to challenge the WTO’s ruling. Canadians should be allowed to support our own green energy manufacturers, and not be forced to rely on solar panels imported from other countries,” says Olivastri.

- 30 -

For more information

Beatrice Olivastri, CEO, Friends of the Earth Canada, (613) 241-0085 x26, (613) 724-8690 (cell), beatrice [at] foecanada.org, foecanada.org

The Oraclepoll Research survey was commissioned by Friends of the Earth Canada and conducted on November 21–23, 2012. A total of 1,000 people were surveyed, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%, 19/20 times. For more details visit Friends of the Earth’s website at foecanada.org.

Read the results of the Ontario green energy opinion poll.

Sign the online letter — voice your support for green energy in Ontario.

Friends of the Earth Canada is the Canadian member of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest grassroots environmental network campaigning on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues.

2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Results of the Ontario green energy opinion poll

November 2012
Ontario omnibus survey report

By: Oraclepoll Research
For: Friends of the Earth / Les Ami(e)s de la Terre
November 24, 2012

Methodology and logistics

Study sample

  • This report represents the findings from an omnibus survey of 1,000 voting age residents (18 years of age or older) in Ontario.
  • The results provided in this report were from questions commissioned by Friends of Earth.
  • Interviews were conducted between the days of November 21st to November 23rd 2012.
  • The results presented in this report may not always add up to 100% due to rounding.

Confidence

  • The margin of error for this 1,000-person survey is +/- 3.1%, 19/20 times.

Survey method

  • The survey was conducted using computer-assisted techniques of telephone interviewing (CATI) and random number selection. A total of 20% of all interviews were monitored and the management of Oraclepoll Research Limited supervised 100%.

Logistics

  • Initial calls were made between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Subsequent callbacks of no-answers and busy numbers were made on a (staggered) daily rotating basis up to 5 times (from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.) until contact was made. In addition, telephone interview appointments were attempted with those respondents unable to complete the survey at the time of contact.

Executive summary

Friends of Earth respondents were first asked the following question

“How important do you feel it is to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce the record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Please use a scale from one not at all important to five very important.”

Opinion poll results. The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

The survey conducted by Oraclepoll Research found that 83% of Ontarians believe it is important to have more green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change. Only 11% of respondents believe that it is not important to take action.

A high 83% of Ontarians are of the opinion that it is important or very important to have green renewable energy compared to a very low 11% that do not, while 7% had a neutral view (neither important nor unimportant).

A second question was then asked about the WTO and Ontario’s green energy plan.

“Should international bodies like the World Trade Organization be able to over-ride Ontario’s plan to encourage investment in renewable, green energy and local jobs for people in Ontario?”

Almost three-quarters of those surveyed or 73% feel that the World Trade Organization should not be able to override Ontario’s plans to encourage investment in green renewable energy while only 27% are of the opinion that it should.

Results by question

How important do you feel it is to have more renewable, green energy in Ontario to deal with climate change and help reduce the record levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Please use a scale from one not at all important to five very important.

Response Valid percent
Not at all important 5%
Not important 6%
Neither important nor not important 7%
Important 14%
Very important 69%
Total 100%

Should international bodies like the World Trade Organization be able to over-ride Ontario’s plan to encourage investment in renewable, green energy and local jobs for people in Ontario?

Response Valid percent
Yes 27%
No 73%
Total 100%
Earth 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth International

November 23, 2012

UN climate talks: Urgent progress still not in sight

DOHA, QATAR, November 23, 2012 — While delegates from around the world prepare to meet for the annual United Nations climate talks in Doha next week, Friends of the Earth International expressed strong concerns over the continued lack of progress by developed countries which are supposed to take the lead to stop climate devastation and avoid catastrophic climate change.1

The UN climate talks, ongoing now for 20 years, have made little progress in delivering concrete climate action and are now heading backwards. Most recently they agreed 2015 as the date to launch a new treaty to deal with climate action which probably won’t come into force until 2020.2

And many governments look set to attend the talks in Doha to promote a further weakening of the framework for global emissions reductions, while at home they continue to support the expansion of false solutions to the climate crisis.

Global emissions need to peak around 2015 if we are to have a decent chance of bringing emissions down to safe levels in time to prevent a further worsening of the earth’s climate and avoid the unprecedented destruction, insecurity and suffering that catastrophic, irreversible climate change would cause.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator, said:

“From the carnage wrought by Hurricane Sandy to the devastating flooding in Nigeria, the impacts of climate change are now evident for all to see, and alarmingly more frequent. Carbon dioxide levels have reached a record high, setting us on track for a terrifying 6 degrees of warming. Unfortunately developed countries, led by the United States, are accelerating the demolition of the world’s international framework for fair and urgent climate action. And most governments continue to support and advance the very policies that are driving the climate crisis, from dirty fossil fuel extraction of oil, gas and coal to carbon trading, agrofuels, large-scale industrial agriculture and ‘green desert’ plantations.”

The United States, Australia, Canada and Japan continue to be the main players dragging their feet and undermining progress in the UN talks. Europe has pledged an emissions target which will allow its emissions to continue to grow, and continues to push for the expansion of carbon trading, a dangerous scam which only benefits corporations and financial elites. Meanwhile these and other countries are supporting false solutions to the climate crisis and ignoring the voices of people resisting the imposition of destructive projects and the land grabs, displacement and environmental destruction that they cause.

The power of vested interests and multinational corporations and their influence over government policies and UN processes remains at the heart of the ongoing failure of the talks and their recent further unraveling.3 Tackling their influence is essential to unlocking the deadlock, and will unleash multiple other positive impacts like releasing for public benefit the hundreds of billions of dollars in public subsidies to dirty fossil fuel corporations.

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland said: “Friends of the Earth International is urging governments attending Doha to finally wake up to the reality of the climate crisis and make urgent progress on the foundations of fair and ambitious climate action: emissions cuts in line with science and equity; adequate public finance to support climate action in the developing world; progress on technology transfer; and an end to carbon trading. All are needed to drive forward the transformation of our economies, deliver real sustainable energy and food alternatives, and tackle emissions while improving health and wellbeing for everyone. We are nearly out of time. Without urgent progress governments will face a total loss of confidence in their ability to act in the interests of people and the environment.”

For more information

Asad Rehman, climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in Doha): +44 7956 210332

Sarah-Jayne Clifton, Friends of the Earth International climate justice coordinator: +44 7912 406510

Notes

1 Developed (Annex I) countries are responsible for three quarters of historic emissions despite only hosting 15% of the world’s population. Because of their historical responsibility for climate change they have a moral and legal obligation under the climate convention to cut their emissions first and fastest and to provide adequate public finance for climate action by developing countries.

2 Last year at COP 17 in Durban, South Africa, instead of making progress on implementing the existing negotiating roadmap agreed in Bali in 2007, parties agreed to launch a whole new round of negotiations on an agreement to cover climate action. The Durban Platform (ADP) will commence negotiations in Doha and is due to finish its work by 2015. There is a very high risk that the Durban Platform will delay action on emissions for another ten years, lock in low ambition, undermine the principles of equity and justice in the global climate framework, and further deregulate the framework, leading to a system even weaker and less effective than the Kyoto Protocol. At COP 18 in Doha countries are supposed to be finalising the targets for developed country emission reductions under the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period; making progress on climate finance and comparable emissions reductions targets for the United States (which is not party to the Kyoto Protocol); and commencing negotiations on the Durban Platform.

3 400 global civil society organizations and social movements have denounced corporate capture as a root cause of failing environmental multilateral negotiations. Clear demands were presented to the UN earlier this year to help put an end to the excessive and harmful influence of corporations over processes like the UN climate talks. So far the UN did not issue a public response. Friends of the Earth International’s report on the corporate capture of the UN is available at:

http://www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs/2012/reclaim-the-un-from-corporate-capture/view

Friends of the Earth International is demanding:

  • Urgent, binding and deep emissions cuts by developed countries in line with science and equity
  • Provision by developed countries of adequate climate finance and technology transfer to developing countries for sustainable development and adaptation to climate impact
  • An end to carbon trading and offsetting
  • A top-down framework for future climate action which respects and reasserts the principles in the UNFCCC, including the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR), and which includes binding emissions targets for developed countries and no new market mechanisms
  • Efforts by all governments to drive forward the transformation of our unsustainable economies, protecting the rights and livelihoods of communities and delivering a safe climate and greater health and wellbeing for all.
Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International. Photo: Mel de Vera. 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Friends of the Earth International Chair Nnimmo Bassey awarded Rafto Prize

Friends of the Earth International

November 4, 2012

Friends of the Earth International Chair Nnimmo Bassey awarded 2012 Rafto Prize for Human Rights

BERGEN (NORWAY) / LAGOS (NIGERIA), November 4, 2012 — Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest federation of grassroots environmental organizations, is proud to announce that its chair, Nnimmo Bassey, who is also Executive Director of Friends of the Earth Nigeria,1 received the 2012 Rafto Prize for Human Rights2 in Norway on November 4.

The Rafto Prize for Human Rights has been awarded to advocates of human rights and democracy every year since 1987. Several Rafto Laureates have subsequently been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.3

The 2012 Rafto Prize was awarded to Nnimmo Bassey in recognition of his long-term fight for people’s rights to life, health, food and water in a world affected by climate change and mass environmental destruction.

“Through his rights based work and criticism of prevailing systems, Bassey has shown how human rights can help mitigate the effects of these changes,” says the Rafto Foundation.

Nnimmo Bassey said:

“I am honoured and humbled by this announcement. I hold the Rafto Foundation in high esteem for its commitment to human right defenders. I have campaigned on oil pollution and human rights in Nigeria for decades. Standing with impacted communities we continually demand justice. We press on, convinced that truth will prevail.”

Nnimmo Bassey is one of Africa’s leading advocates and campaigners for the environment and human rights. Bassey has tirelessly stood up against the practices of multinational corporations and the environmental devastation they leave behind, destroying the lives and trampling on the rights of local people.

A Rafto Conference, “Human Rights Threatened by Climate Change,” was held on Saturday, November 3 in Bergen and Heikki Eidsvoll Holmås, Norwegian Minister of International Development, opened the conference.

For more information

Kari Amble, The Rafto Foundation, Head of Information, Tel: +47 55 21 09 75, Mobile: +47 91 31 44 17, E-mail: kari.amble [at] rafto.no

Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth International chair, Tel: +234 80 37 27 43 95 (Nigerian mobile number) or email nnimmo [at] eraction.org

Notes to editors

1 For Nnimmo Bassey’s biography and a selection of high-resolution, free to use photo portraits go to http://www.foei.org/en/media/photos/nnimmo-bassey-photos

2 For more information about the Rafto Prize 2012 please visit: www.rafto.no and http://www.rafto.no/article/484/The_2012_Rafto_Prize_events/tags:News%20

3 The Rafto Laureates whom have subsequently been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize are: Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma (Rafto Prize in 1990), people of East‐Timor by José Ramos‐Horta (Rafto Prize in 1993), Kim Dae‐jung, South‐Korea (Rafto Prize in 2000), and Shirin Ebadi, Iran (Rafto Prize in 2001).

Plaintiffs appear in the court room in the Hague. Photo: Pierre Crom. 2012 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

Verdict expected on Shell’s oil pollution in Nigeria

Friends of the Earth International

October 11, 2012

Verdict expected in court case on oil giant Shell’s Nigerian oil pollution

THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS, October 11, 2012 — For the first time in history, a Dutch court verdict is expected about the case of a European company, Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, which appeared in court today to account for damage it caused abroad, says Friends of the Earth International.1

Lawyers for both parties pleaded at a key hearing in The Hague today and the court announced that the verdict is expected on January 30, 2013.

The court case against Shell’s oil spills in Nigeria has been filed by four Nigerian plaintiffs in conjunction with Friends of the Earth Netherlands and supported by Friends of the Earth Nigeria.

“A positive verdict will have groundbreaking legal repercussions. It will allow victims of multinational corporations in developing countries to obtain justice in Europe,” says Geert Ritsema, globalisation campaign leader at Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie.

“Due to the poor maintenance of its pipelines and infrastructure Shell lets tens of millions of barrels of oil leak in Nigeria, with disastrous consequences for local people and the environment. We hope for a positive verdict. We hope that Shell will own up to its glaring pollution. We hope that justice will be done for the four Nigerians who sued Shell in The Netherlands,” says Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth Nigeria and Chair of Friends of the Earth International.

In May 2008, four Nigerian fishermen and farmers2 from the villages of Goi, Ikot Ada Udo and Oruma, in conjunction with Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie and supported by Friends of the Earth Nigeria / ERA, started a legal case against Shell Nigeria and its parent company in the Netherlands.3

“Shell polluted with impunity and destroyed our livelihoods. Several years after the spills we still see and smell the oil and in some communities half of the population has respiratory diseases. Shell must now clean up properly and prevent more oil spills from happening. Justice has to be done here in The Netherlands and Shell must be held to account,” says one of the four plaintiffs, Eric Dooh from Goi, Ogoniland, Nigeria.

The serious contamination of the oil rich Niger Delta has had disastrous consequences for the local people and their environment. Oil leaks regularly pollute the fields, forests and water. These leaks are a heavy burden on agriculture and fishing.

Shell is the operator of Nigeria’s largest oil fields and bears significant responsibility for the oil pollution. The UN, among others, has stated that Shell does not comply with legal environmental standards and has failed to clean up leaked oil — or has done so only insufficiently, for decades. Moreover, Shell’s own sustainability report stated that the number of leaks due to poor maintenance doubled in 2011, rising from 32 to 64.

Notes to editors

1 Photos of the oil spills, as well as legal documents and fact sheets about the legal proceedings are available at:
http://www.milieudefensie.nl/english/shell/oil-leaks/courtcase/press and
http://www.milieudefensie.nl/english/shell/oil-leaks/courtcase/press/documents/documents-on-the-shell-legal-case

2 Bios, portraits and stories of the plaintiffs are available at:
http://www.milieudefensie.nl/english/shell/oil-leaks/courtcase/plaintiffs
http://www.milieudefensie.nl/english/shell/oil-leaks/courtcase/press/documents/documents-on-the-shell-legal-case

3 A timeline of the court case is available at:
http://www.milieudefensie.nl/publicaties/factsheets/timeline-courtcase-shell

For more information

Friends of the Earth Netherlands / Milieudefensie press office:
Tel: +31 20 5507 333 or e-mail persvoorlichting [at] milieudefensie.nl

2012 Media releases | Climate and energy |

Rio+20 Summit sell out of people and the planet

Friends of the Earth International

June 22, 2012

Rio+20 Summit condemned as sell out of people and the planet

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, June 22, 2012 — Friends of the Earth International today strongly condemned world leaders for selling out people and the planet in their Rio+20 declaration which falls far short of the action needed to tackle the planetary crisis we face, and does not include any of the real solutions demanded by the people at the alternative People’s Summit.1

According to Friends of the Earth International, the lack of political will from governments is rooted in the undue influence of corporations over governments and UN institutions. But pressure from civil society groups and movements and developing countries prevented world leaders from agreeing an even worse Rio+20 declaration that would have taken the world further backwards than we were twenty years ago.

“Once again corporate polluters have held UN decision-making hostage to furthering their economic interests, at the expense of people’s well-being and the planet. But real solutions to the crises exist and were presented by the alternative People’s Summit. They include economic justice, climate justice, and food sovereignty,” said Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International.

Friends of the Earth International has been a key player in the People’s Summit — an alternative space independent from the UN Summit supported by over 200 civil society groupings who have worked together over the past nine days to generate ideas for the change needed to tackle the crisis we face.

“Friends of the Earth International and our allied social movements will keep fighting the corporate capture of the UN which is stopping our governments from listening to the voices of the 99 percent of the people. These voices include not only the People’s Summit voices here in Rio but also the voices of the Occupy and Indignados movements around the world,” said Lucia Ortiz, Economic Justice International Program Coordinator at Friends of the Earth International.

“People’s power is the solution to the crises we are facing. The alternative People’s Summit in Rio was an example of people’s voices uniting to demand real solutions. We need to build on our strengths and organise ourselves to resist corporate power, false solutions, and reclaim our democracies and UN decision-making,” said Isaac Rojas, Friends of the Earth International coordinator of the Forest and Biodiversity Program.

Friends of the Earth International’s analysis of key issues on the table in Rio

Green economy

The European Union block tried to impose in Rio the corporate-driven green economy agenda — which is a front for our broken and unfair economic system and for selling out nature — as the main tool for achieving sustainable development. Civil society and developing countries managed to prevent this agenda from being adopted and partially stopped its imposition in the Rio declaration, allowing, for now, individual countries to continue to define their own vision of what a truly fair and sustainable economy might look like.

Unfortunately the declaration still recognizes the green economy as an important tool and does not include any recognition that developed countries, whose unsustainable consumption patterns caused the bulk of our environmental problems, should take the lead on sustainable consumption and production. The Rio+20 declaration also fails to recognise that multinational corporations are a main cause of the multiple crises the world is facing.

The Rio Principles

The Rio+20 declaration reaffirms the so-called ‘Rio Principles’ first agreed at the 1992 Earth Summit but does not go any further.

The Rio+20 declaration ignores the need of the industrialised world to repay its ecological debt through provision of new and additional public finance and through technology transfer.

The Rio+20 declaration does not tackle the need to phase out fossil fuels through a just transition to clean and affordable community-controlled energy.

Corporate capture of the UN

The Rio+20 declaration includes a voluntary approach to sustainability reporting — something that was on the table 10 years ago and is wholly insufficient to address corporate abuses and crimes.

The Rio+20 declaration unfortunately states that governments should support initiatives including “promoting the contribution of the private sector” and the only reference to mobilizing public finance was made in connection to public-private partnerships.

The Rio+20 declaration does not include any of the steps raised in a statement issued on June 4 by Friends of the Earth International and other organisations and signed by more than 400 organisations.

The steps that should be taken include:

Limiting the privileged status that business currently has in official UN negotiations and policy-making; limits on the role of the “business and industry” major group; disclosure of existing relations and links between the UN with the private sector; a code of conduct for UN officials; a review of existing partnerships with corporates and trade associations, and a halt to entering into any new such partnerships; increased transparency around lobbying; and the establishment of a legally binding framework to hold companies accountable to environmental, human rights and labour rights law.

For more information

Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International
+234 803 727 4395 (Nigerian cell), or email Nnimmo [at] eraction.org

Lucia Ortiz, Economic Justice International Program Coordinator, Friends of the Earth International (in Brazil)
Tel: +55 51 98 41 87 07 or +55 21 6968 7826 or email lucia [at] natbrasil.org.br

Isaac Rojas, Friends of the Earth International coordinator of the Forest and Biodiversity Program
Tel: +55 21 6968 7885 or email isaac [at] coecoceiba.org

Paul de Clerck, Corporates Campaign Coordinator, Friends of the Earth International
Tel: +32 494 38 09 59 or email paul [at] milieudefensie.nl

Notes to editors

1 The solutions promoted at the People’s Summit include:

  • Small scale and local renewable energy production
  • Investing in energy efficiency
  • Shifting from export oriented large scale food production to food sovereignty to serve local food needs
  • Implementing a global financial transaction tax
  • Implementing internationally binding rules for companies and sanctions if they violate them
2012 Media releases | Climate and energy | Environmental justice |

World leaders failed at Summit in Rio

Friends of the Earth International

June 22, 2012

Comment on the Rio+20 Summit closing day

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL, June 22, 2012 — Commenting on the Rio+20 Summit closing day, Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International said:

“World leaders failed at their Summit in Rio, mainly because of the undue influence that multinational corporations have on them and the UN.”

“But the parallel People’s Summit demonstrated that real solutions to the current crises do exist and that people are successfully mobilizing around them.”

“By exposing the negative influence of multinational corporations we have gained considerable momentum in our efforts to reclaim the UN as a people’s space. And this campaign is just starting.”

For more information

Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International
Tel: +234 803 727 4395 (Nigerian cell), or email Nnimmo [at] eraction.org

Lucia Ortiz, Economic Justice International Program Coordinator, Friends of the Earth International (in Brazil)
Tel: +55 51 98 41 87 07 or +55 21 6968 7826 or email lucia [at] natbrasil.org.br

Paul de Clerck, Corporates Campaign Coordinator, Friends of the Earth International
Tel: +32 494 38 09 59 or email paul [at] milieudefensie.nl

Notes to editors

Read more about FoEI’s reclaim the UN campaign at:
http://www.foei.org/en/resources/publications/pdfs/2012/reclaim-the-un-from-corporate-capture/view