Shell abandons drilling in the Arctic – but the fight against fossil fuels continues

Published 11 years agoon September 30, 2015

Shell have abandoned their plans to drill in the Arctic following “disappointing” results and have no plans to return “for the foreseeable future”.

The decision follows months of campaigning by conservation groups and activists such as Greenpeace against the oil giant’s plans to drill in the area.

It also follows a tweet made by US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who took to Twitter to say “the Arctic is a unique treasure,” and “given what we know now, it’s not worth the risk of drilling.”

It’s thought that pulling out of the Arctic will cost the Shell £2.6bn – and that’s on top of the £5bn they have already spent on the project.

Following the news, Greenpeace had this to say: “Shell had a budget of billions, but we had a movement of millions. People all around the world took action against Arctic drilling. So, whether you spread the news in your own community, petitioned President Obama, took to the water in kayaks or canoes, or rappelled from bridges, today you’ve made history — and today we should celebrate.

“While this is a victory for everyone who hoped to avoid a catastrophic spill — or catastrophic climate change — from Shell’s plans, it’s also proof positive that drilling in the Arctic is too costly to be effective and a bad bet for other energy companies. It’s time to start making the shift to renewable energy instead of pursuing extreme fossil fuels.

“We’ve proven to Shell we mean business and we’re not letting up to declare Arctic oil off-limits for drilling, and keep federal coal and other fossil fuels in the ground. We will continue with passion and increased strength as the fight for climate change continues.”

Greenpeace say that President Obama still needs to commit to keeping fossil fuels in the ground, a move that will ultimately secure his climate legacy.

However, the US Department of Interior recently announced that 10.2 billion tons of coal on federal lands would likely be available for sale – all with the President’s approval.

You can ask President Obama to declare Arctic oil off-limits for drilling, and keep federal coal and other fossil fuels in the ground, by signing Greenpeace’s petition here.