Newsroom
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World Wildlife Fund: Too little too late for Shell’s
Sakhalin project: Posted Friday 16 December 2005
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Critically endangered Gray whale (Eschrictius
robustus).
© IFAW / R. Sobol
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Map of the Sakhalin region.
© WWF
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Construction through the forest.
© Dmitry Lisitsyn / Sakhalin Environment
Watch
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15 Dec 2005
London, UK – The European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) acknowledges that Shell's Sakhalin II oil
and gas project has breached their environmental policies in
its on-going construction. This confirms WWF’s view that the
project has already created so much environmental risk and
damage. The global conservation organization says that it is
too late to ask for financing halfway through the project
and that EBRD funding should not be approved.
The 120-day public consultation announcement by the EBRD is
the final opportunity to stop further environmental
devastation by Shell on the Island of Sakhalin in Russia's
Far East. After the consultation, the bank will make a
decision on whether to finance the project.
“EBRD’s continuing delay in making a final decision on
financing reflects the ongoing controversy with respect to
Shell’s disregard to basic environmental standards in its
execution of the project to date,” said James Leaton, WWF's
oil and gas policy ffficer.
WWF remains especially concerned about the fate of the
critically endangered western gray whale. Shell obtained
scientific advice from a panel of whale experts but has
disregarded key elements, such as maximum noise levels. A
study by WWF and the International Fund for Animal Welfare
this past summer has shown that these whales have already
been affected by the construction of the oil platform.
WWF looks forward to actively contributing to an open and
transparent consultation to ensure that all relevant
information concerning the environmental damage already
incurred and the future risks is made publicly available.
“Shell has produced much documentation and many assurances
on this project over the years but sadly, all the
on-the-ground evidence from Sakhalin shows that bad practice
continues,” Leaton added.
“Sakhalin II’s drilling platform and river-crossing
pipelines bring a raft of threats to the endangered whale
population as well as important salmon spawning streams that
are the mainstay of the local fishing communities. WWF
remains resolute that this project does not meet acceptable
environmental standards.”
For further information:
Anthony Field, Senior Press Officer
WWF-UK
Tel: +44 1483 412379
E-mail: afield@wwf.org.uk |
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