Reacting to the news that the Greenland government has officially granted permits to the Scottish company, Cairn Energy, to begin new oil drilling in the fragile Arctic environment, Ben Ayliffe, a senior campaigner for Greenpeace, said:
"The approval of these permits means that this summer oil drilling off the pristine Greenland coast will happen further north, at greater depths and deeper into the winter months than ever before. But despite the significantly greater risks that the government of Greenland is taking with its fragile environment, Cairn Energy has given no indication that it will take extra precautions to prevent an accident like the one that happened in the Gulf of Mexico last year. Instead this relatively inexperienced company is keeping its oil spill emergency plan hidden from the public."
He continued:
"These controversial drilling approvals have been granted just two days before the Arctic Council ministers meets in Greenland. The Arctic is undergoing dramatic changes due to climate change, pollution and ocean acidification, but the Arctic Council has done almost nothing to protect this fragile region. Talking won't save the Arctic. Instead we need to see measures to defend the region from oil drilling, destructive fishing and shipping."
The Greenland government has on its cabinet meeting today approved an application from the Scottish oil company Cairn Energy plc to drill up to seven oil exploration wells offshore west Greenland in 2011. Within the seven approved drill sites Cairn will drill four wells. The drilling season for the northern region west off Disko-Nuussuaq will end on the 1 October 2011. For the southern region west of Nuuk the drilling season will last until the 1 December 2011.
Last month, Greenpeace activists took direct action to try and stop Cairn Energy’s 530,000 tonne oil rig as it began its journey to Baffin Bay, Greenland when they boarded and occupied the rig near Istanbul, Turkey.
Greenpeace press office: 020 7865 8255
