Posts under ‘Human Rights’

REUTERS

Nigerian widows end their case in the Netherlands against Shell

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – A group of four widows who had sought to hold Shell liable for damages in the Netherlands after their anti-oil activist husbands were executed by the Nigerian government in 1995 have cancelled further legal proceedings, their lawyer said on Monday.

“Obviously this is not without disappointment and frustration,” said lawyer Channa Samkalden in statement announcing that the widows have cancelled an appeal launched after the Hague District Court rejected their case earlier this year. read more

British Spies, British Lies (James Hall vs Walied Shater)

I have never before seen a court document containing so many allegations of repeated lies by a top-level Shell official, supported by copious similar fact evidence of his alleged deceit.

By John Donovan

I reported in August 1917 that Mr Crockett Oaks III, Shell security manager for the Americas, received a ‘big bucks’ court case settlement from Shell.

The litigation arose from an alleged pattern of discrimination in favour of ‘White Brits’ by Shell and Shell Corporate Security VP James WD Hall, a British national.

Mr Hall is a security professional who worked in an undisclosed position purportedly in the British Foreign Office (MI6?) before his long career at Shell. 

Mr Hall has faced a succession of accusers on the same race/national origin grounds starting with Crockett Oaks III. 

The second case was brought by Mr Mike Oliveri, another gentleman with a military/security affairs background. Mr Oliveri is a decorated war veteran – a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Mr Hall’s current accuser is Mr Walied Shater a former US Secret Service agent.  read more

OILPRICE.COM

Shell Slashes Refinery Output In EU As Drought Disrupts Transportation

By Julianne Geiger – Aug 19, 2022, 9:00 AM CDT

Shell slashed its refinery output at its Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland fuel-making facility as low Rhine River levels halted the flow of goods, Shell said on Thursday.

“Due to the low Rhine water level we have reduced the capacity of Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rhineland. The situation regarding supply is challenging but carefully managed,” Shell said in an emailed statement to Reuters. read more

THE TIMES

Netherlands ruling links climate change, human rights — and corporations

There is debate over whether the arguments apply in this country, but the UK Supreme Court has recently been indulgent of novel negligence claims

A judge in The Netherlands ruled last year that Royal Dutch Shell owed Dutch residents a duty of care to reduce its carbon emissions — and the international energy company was ordered to reduce CO₂ emissions by 45 per cent, relative to 2019 levels, by the end of 2030. read more

DAILY MAVERICK

Judgment reserved in case against Shell’s seismic survey along the Wild Coast

By Tembile Sgqolana: 31 May 2022

The second day of the three-day court case between Shell, Impact Africa and environmental activists kicked off at the Gqeberha High Court on Tuesday following arguments from advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC and advocate Nick Ferreira on Monday.

The judges adjourned the matter, reserving judgment in both granting the joinder application put forward by Natural Justice and Greenpeace Africa (represented by the environmental law firm Cullinan & Associates) and the declarator that Shell required an environmental authorisation under the National Environmental Management Act (Nema), and if their exploration rights had been lawfully awarded by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

On Monday, Judge President Selby Mbenenge, Deputy Judge President Zamani Nhlangulela and Judge Thandi Norman heard the merits of the joinder application.

On Tuesday, Jeremy Gauntlett SC, representing Impact Africa, argued against the joinder application sought by Natural Justice and Greenpeace Africa, saying the two organisations added nothing new to the case and had decided to attach themselves like a “cuckoo in a nest”.

During the second day, Gauntlett argued that the applicants were using a legal “knobkerrie” via interdict to undermine Minister Gwede Mantashe’s  authority to decide the matter, laying blame on imperfect legislation rather than the decision-maker. read more

The Washington Post

Climate pressure from employees, shareholders rattles Big Oil

By Steven Mufson: May 27, 2022 at 9:09 a.m. EDT

Five years ago, Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden sat down for an interview with The Washington Post and said “we believe that climate change is real. We believe that the threat of climate change is real. And we believe that action is needed.”

Then he added: “It doesn’t mean we have to kiss hydrocarbons goodbye. In fact, we can’t. But it does mean that we have to make more intelligent choices.”

Today, however, Shell and other oil companies are under fire from those who don’t believe industry leaders are making intelligent choices. Dissident shareholders sought to use annual meetings to press their cases this week. And at Shell’s annual meeting in London on Tuesday, dozens of climate activists wore “Christian Climate Action” T-shirts and rhythmically chanted “we will, we will stop you,” forcing the company’s chairman to halt the proceedings for over an hour. read more

CNN

Shell escaped liability for oil spills in Nigeria for years. Then four farmers took them to court — and won

By Nimi Princewill and Krystina Shveda, CNN: Updated 1540 GMT (2340 HKT) May 25, 2022

Nigeria (CNN)When Nigerian environmental lawyer Chima Williams launched a lawsuit against oil giant Shell plc, he did not envisage a 13-year battle that would lead to a landmark ruling and land him a prestigious environmental award.

Williams, who is the executive director of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, successfully convinced the Court of Appeal in the Hague that Shell plc was responsible for the activities of its subsidiary in Nigeria — Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) — and for oil spills that ravaged local farmlands.

The suit against Shell Nigeria was brought by four farmers from the Goi and Oruma communities in the country’s oil-rich but impoverished Niger Delta region, who said their farms were left in ruins after major spills from underground pipelines.

The decision to allow Shell plc, formerly known as Royal Dutch Shell plc, to be sued in this jurisdiction set a precedent as it was the first time the Dutch parent company was sued in its home country for the actions of its foreign subsidiary, SPDC.

Shell Nigeria (SPDC) was eventually held liable for the oil spills and ordered to pay damages to the farmers in a January 29, 2021, ruling by the Court of Appeal of the Hague. SPDC was also ordered to carry out an intensive clean-up of the damage to the communities.

Williams was on Wednesday awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for his work in holding the company accountable for the environmental damage. read more

skynews

They’re ignoring all the alarms’: Contractor resigns from Shell with warning to staff about ‘extreme harm’ to planet

Caroline Dennett told Sky News that working for Shell was no longer morally compatible with her beliefs about how best to protect the planet and the people who live on it.

Hannah Thomas-Peter: Climate change correspondent @hannahtpsky: Monday 23 May 2022 15:44, UK

A safety consultant who spent more than a decade working as a contractor for Shell has publicly resigned, claiming the oil and gas company is causing “extreme harm” to the planet. read more

Shell boss Ben van Beurden slammed for reaping more than £18m ahead of possible shareholder rebellion

By FRANCESCA WASHTELL, FINANCIAL MAIL ON SUNDAY

PUBLISHED: 21:51, 21 May 2022 | UPDATED: 11:34, 22 May 2022

Shell boss Ben van Beurden has been slammed for reaping more than £18million ahead of a possible shareholder rebellion this week. 

Calculations by The Mail on Sunday show that the Dutch businessman – who has led Shell since 2014 – has seen the valuations of his shares and other payments soar.  read more

CITYA.M.

Shell suffers blow as investor group withholds approval for energy transition plan

NICHOLAS EARL: MONDAY 16 MAY 2022

Shell’s battle to gain approval for its energy transition plan has suffered a heavy setback, as a major investor announces its intention to abstain on a key resolution at the firm’s upcoming annual general meeting.

Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), which holds a £1.2bn stake in the energy giant, has criticised the oil and gas trader’s climate transition plans. read more

Shell received most home broadband complaints in final quarter of 2021 – Ofcom

By Martyn Landi, PA Technology Correspondent: April 27 2022 

Shell Energy generated the most complaints about home broadband in the final three months of last year, new figures show.

Regulator Ofcom said the company had generated 15 complaints for every 100,000 customers served between October and December 2021, with TalkTalk the next worst performing with 14 complaints per 100,000.

The industry average is nine complaints, Ofcom said. read more

Daily Mail

Friends of the Earth warns Shell directors they face personal liability if energy firm doesn’t clean up its act

By LUKE BARR FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 21:50, 25 April 2022 | UPDATED: 21:50, 25 April 2022

Shell directors risk ‘personal liability’ if they fail to boost the energy giant’s green credentials, an environmental group has claimed.

The threat to senior figures, including chief executive Ben van Beurden, was made in a recent letter from Friends of the Earth’s Netherlands branch, Milieudefensie. read more

The Telegraph

Ukraine urges Johnson to ensure ‘not a drop’ of Russian oil reaches the UK

Shell, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, has pledged to withdraw from Russian oil products, but…

By Rachel Millard: 24 April 2022 • 6:46pm

Ukraine’s government has urged the UK to ensure “not a single drop of Russian oil enters the country”, as it pushed for a “total and immediate” boycott on Russian fossil fuels.

Oleg Ustenko, economic adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said it was “no time for half measures”. It comes amid concerns Britain may adopt a definition of Russian oil that allows some Kremlin supplies into the country, even under the impending embargo. read more

sky news

Extinction Rebellion: Six people arrested as activists climb on top of Shell oil tanker in central London

Saturday 16 April 2022 16:05, UK

Six people have been arrested after Extinction Rebellion activists climbed on top of an oil tanker in central London.

The climate group said three people climbed on top of the Shell tanker, holding a banner which said “end fossil filth” in Bayswater Road on Saturday morning.

Extinction Rebellion said Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist Etienne Stott and fellow British Olympian Laura Baldwin were among those demonstrating. read more

Harrison Jones for metro.co.uk: Wednesday 6 Apr 2022 5:41 pm

…hundreds of experts from around the world are engaged in a ‘scientist rebellion’, which saw oil chucked over Shell’s headquarters in London.

…experts from around the globe have been taking part in what they called the ‘world’s largest ever scientist-led civil disobedience campaign’.

A number of them in the UK used modified fire extinguishers to spray biodegradable fake oil on a Shell building, where they also plastered scientific papers on the walls.

The scientists are calling for a ‘climate revolution now’ and say ‘1.5°C is dead’, in reference to the target for global warming, which the IPCC warned is almost out of reach.

One of those taking part, Cat Acheson, a social scientist and PhD researcher, said: ‘I’m here today taking non-violent direct action against Shell, because the continued use and expansion of fossil fuels is endangering all life on our planet. read more

By John Donovan

Printed below is a Google Review of the employment attorney law firm Oberti Sullivan LLP fast gaining a reputation for successfully suing the unscrupulous oil giant Shell, multiple times.

It was posted by Michael Oliveri, the former senior U.S. military officer who sued Shell for age discrimination and retaliation after the energy giant revoked his job offer. His posting seems to confirm, as previously stated online, that Shell settled his claim. 

HIS POSTING