Shell in Niger Delta: The human rights cost of oil

10 January 2010, 03:57PM

Fifty years of oil extraction from Niger Delta, Nigeria, has destroyed the environment and the health of the local community.

Oil spills, waste dumping and gas flaring (burning) has poured toxins into the water, soil and air. 2,000 sites have been registered as contaminated and measures to clean up the environment are slow, inadequate or non-existent.

The local community relies on the land and natural waterways for their livelihood and sustenance. Now, they have to drink, cook with and wash in polluted water and eat fish contaminated with toxins. They have lost farming land, and their incomes, from oil spills, and breath air that reeks of oil, gas and other pollutants.

The health consequences of the pollution have been severe.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is the main operator in Niger Delta, covering 31,000 square kilometres.

Both the government of Nigeria and Shell have a responsibility to clean up oil operations and come clean about the human impact of the oil industry in the Niger Delta.

Shell’s Chief Executive, Mr. Peter Voser, has the opportunity to lead the company in a new direction.

Take action now

Call on Shell’s Chief Executive, Mr. Peter Voser, to make a public commitment to take action to clean up Shell’s operations in the Niger Delta.

Send an urgent letter by clicking on the ACT NOW button on the right-hand side of this page.

Personalised letters are always more effective, so rewrite the letter and subject line in your own words if you have time. Here are some key points to help you. (.pdf file 40 kb)

If you receive a response please let us know.

More information

Read our report, Petroluem, pollution and poverty in Niger Delta (Available 30 June 2009).

Your Message

Gas well burning from oil exploration, Niger Delta © Kadir van Lohuizen

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To
peter.p.voser@shell.com

Salutation
Dear Mr Voser,

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Email *
I am very concerned about the devastating impact that pollution and environmental damage associated with the operations of Shell is having on the human rights of people in the Niger Delta in Nigeria. Shell has failed to take effective measures to address the social impacts of its activities in the Niger Delta. Oil pollution has damaged crucial sources of livelihood for communities, including farming and fisheries. Communities are rarely provided with information on the impacts of oil company operations on their environment and on their human rights. As the Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell, I urge you to: * undertake a comprehensive clean-up of all oil pollution in consultation with affected communities and to report on this publicly and regularly; * disclose all information on the impact of oil operations on the environment and human rights, including Environmental Impact Assessments and any studies the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) may have done on the impact of its operations on the communities and the environment in the Niger Delta. We believe your term as Chief Executive can – and must – be a turning point for Shell. We are calling on you to commit publicly to undertake these actions to clean up Shell's operations in the Niger Delta.

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