By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, ASABA
CIVIL Society Organisations, CSOs, led by African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, have called on multinational oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to directly commence a process of winding down further exploration of fossil fuels in Nigeria.
They also called on Shell to cut down carbon emission at source rather than targeting nature-based solutions.R
The Nigerian CSOs in a resolution at a shadow conference organised by ANEEJ in collaboration with several other environmental, human rights organisations and victims of decades of oil extraction in Lagos, also urged the Church of England and other investors to stop lending moral and financial support to Shell and vote against the company’s energy transition strategy.
Those in attendance included Executive Director, ANEEJ, David Ugolor; Executive Director of Indigenous Centre for Energy and Sustainable Development, Legborsi Pyagbara; National Coordinator, Publish What You Pay Campaign – Nigeria, Taiwo Otitolaye; National Coordinator, Ogoni Solidarity Forum-Nigeria, Mr. Celestine Akpoborie; and Leader, Ogoni Peoples Assembly.
Environmental activists from different parts of Nigeria comprising heads and leaders of non-governmental and faith-based organisations, representatives of host oil and gas communities, human rights groups, youths, students, artisans, victims and media practitioners attended the meeting.
They called on Shell to urgently revise its 2021 energy transition strategy to align with Paris Agreement, of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
They said: “The operations of Shell, rather than enrich the people of Niger Delta have become a nightmare for the people as pollution from spills and gas flaring has led to the complete degradation of the environment, destroyed the source of livelihood and inflicted untold pain and hardship on the people.
“Shell’s climate and energy strategy falls short of what is required to achieve Paris Agreement, of limiting the increase in the average global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
“Shell’s emission reduction targets are intensity-based rather than absolute and, despite the need to wind down oil and gas production, the company plans to continue to invest billions of dollars in upstream oil and gas. It targets increase in its gas production significantly, to reach over half of its business by 2030.
“Shell’s excuse that Nigeria is an oil-dependent nation hence the increase in investments in oil and gas beyond global targets to end fossil fuel extraction is unacceptable.”
Vanguard News Nigeria