In response to Shell’s announcement it intends to drill in the Alaskan Arctic this year if it gets the right permits, Charlie Kronick, campaigner at Greenpeace said:
“Despite announcing cuts Shell hasn’t taken the opportunity to cut its most high-cost high-risk project. Shell is taking a massive risk doggedly chasing oil in the Arctic, not just with shareholder value, but with the pristine Arctic environment. A spill there will be environmentally and financially catastrophic. It’s time for investors to recognise that it’s impossible for Shell to justify its continued pursuit of offshore Arctic oil.”
“Shell’s Arctic ambitions have been on the rocks since its rig ran aground in 2012. The more we discover about the mistakes Shell made three years ago, the clearer it becomes that it cannot be trusted to drill in the Arctic. No company is able to operate safely in this remote, fragile ocean where the nearest rescue fleets are hundreds of miles away. These expensive, long term oil projects make no sense as governments around the world become increasingly serious about climate change. It’s time for Shell to scrap this hapless project for good.”
