Tiger Campaigners Urge Action Over Oil Exploration
Copyright 2001 Press Association Newsfile
May 17, 2001
By Nell Raven, PA News
Environmentalists today urged Shell shareholders to persuade the oil giant to drop plans for exploration in Bangladeshi tiger territory.
Dressed in tiger costumes, three campaigners from Friends of the Earth handed out leaflets at Shell's annual general meeting in central London drawing attention to the company's activities in the Sundarbans national park.
Shell has been awarded an initial contract to explore for gas and oil in the area, most of which has been declared a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Although Shell has said it plans to carry out surveys and has insisted it will not operate in those parts which have been designated "reserved forest", environmentalists are concerned about the destructive affect of any activities in the remainder.
The area is one of the world's largest areas of intact mangrove forests and is home to endangered Bengal tigers, three species of otter, three species of wild cat and the Ganges river dolphin.
Friends of the Earth spokesman Craig Bennett said: "Shareholders will be celebrating record profits but the corporation currently invests less than 1% of its turnover in renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and wave power.
"We want to point out to shareholders that the company is using its cash surplus, mostly gained through oil price increases, to fund a massive expansion in exploration programmes to locate yet more fossil fuels to release into the atmosphere.
"We want shareholders to ask the board to abandon plans to explore in Bangladesh and stay out of protected areas altogether.
"We believe this would be best for the company because it would mean it would be less likely to be targeted by environmental groups and find itself immersed in controversy that could damage its reputation."
Mr Bennett added
"Although Shell has given reassurances not to operate in the "reserved forest", they have not yet promised to stay out of the designated wetland areas.
"Even if they do, the only areas left are those immediately up stream, and one single accident would be devastating to the wildlife of this precious region."
A Shell spokesman said: "The only protected areas we were aware of are the reserved forest, and we have unequivocally stated we will not carry out exploration activities there.
"We are working with environmental groups including Friends of the Earth to get a better understanding of what constitutes an environmentally-sensitive area.
"We believe that exploration and production can take place within the context of environmentally sensitive areas.
"Shell has a long experience of this kind of work and we always carry out surveys in conjunction with environmental groups and local people to establish how to minimise environmental impact."
Last week Shell dropped plans to explore for gas in Kirthar national park in Pakistan, one of the country's largest protected areas, after environmentalists began a case against the company in the Pakistani courts.
Friends of the Earth International joined Pakistani groups in a legal challenge to Shell, alleging it was seeking to avoid wildlife law by persuading the military regime to amend the law without reference to parliament.
Shell and Premier Oil had formed a joint venture company to explore for gas in the park, which was home to threatened species such as the ibex wild goat, urial wild sheep, desert wolves and eight species of eagle.
Shell announced a "realignment" of its Pakistan business portfolio and arranged a swap of assets with the Britain-based Premier Oil, so that it now owns gas businesses only outside the park.
Mr Bennett said
"We are delighted that Shell has dropped plans to explore for gas in Pakistan's oldest protected area. But it's scandalous that the company is still planning to explore in tiger territory in Bangladesh."