Friends of the Earth is suing Shell for climate pollution

The Friends of the Earth (FoE), Netherlands an environmental rights group says it is suing British headquartered oil company Shell for climate pollution.

According to FoE Netherlands Director, Donald Pols, Shell is among the ten biggest climate polluters worldwide. It has been known for over 30 years that it is causing dangerous climate change, but continues to extract oil and gas and invests billions in the search and development of new fossil fuels.

The Netherlands group says its action is supported by Friends of the Earth International, which campaigns for climate justice for people across the world impacted by dirty energy and climate change.

“This case matters for people everywhere. Shell is doing enormous damage worldwide – climate change and dirty energy have devastating impacts around the world, but especially in the global South. With this lawsuit we have a chance to hold Shell to account,” Karin Nansen, chair of Friends of the Earth International said.

The suit is aimed at getting Shell to comply with global climate targets in its activities.

Shell has come under different legal suits over a long period. In 2016, more than 40,000 Nigerians sued the oil producer in a court in the UK demanding that the company cleans up decades of oil spills in their communities.

In January 2018, the City of New York sued the oil producer together with others in a suit seeking to hold them accountable for present and future damage to the city from climate change.

This new suit if successful will curb the company’s operations.

By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi