Firm told it must take responsibility for toxic legacy of pollution and safe decommissioning of abandoned oil infrastructure
The oil firm Shell cannot be allowed to withdraw from the Niger delta before it takes responsibility for its toxic legacy of pollution and the safe decommissioning of abandoned oil infrastructure, a report says.
Shell plc is preparing to divest from the delta but a report warns that it must remain until it has cleaned up its legacy of pollution.
The report, by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (Somo), says historical pollution remains a serious issue in the area and accuses Shell of trying to avoid responsibility despite the billions of dollars it has earned from the oil.
The allegations come as the Labour MP Clive Lewis said in the House of Commons that the departure of Shell, a British company, from the delta raised serious concerns that its environmental responsibilities and obligations could be evaded.
The report says there is a big transparency gap around the issue of funding for decommissioning. Nigeria has legal requirements for companies to set aside funds for decommissioning, but there is no means to establish how much funding companies have – or have not – set aside, the report said.
Press X to doubt.
They’ll not clean up their mess, leave, and let Nigeria (thanks Skua for the clarification ) deal with the consequences of Shell’s actions. Just like Shell planned from the beginning.
Small clarification, the Niger delta is in Nigeria rather than Niger. Shell still has a lot of operations in Nigeria and doesn’t appear to be intending to leave the country altogether, (see “What is included in/excluded from the scope of the announced transaction?” section) so there is the potential for Nigeria to actually put some pressure on here. That said I agree completely with you that Shell will do everything it can to dodge responsibility here
So what do you someone from Niger?
No answers from the edgy racist crowd please
Nigerien, rather than Nigerian. Niger is pronounced /niːˈʒɛər/ nee-ZHAIR rather than /naɪˈdʒɪər/ ny-JEER so they’re a little easier to tell apart in spoken English
Huh TIL. Ty!
Alternatively, go the textbook abuser route of “well, we tried to stop, but you just won’t let us leave, so we might as well keep the oil infustructure chugging along”.