Stop gas flaring in Nigeria
7 July 2009

On 1 July, Peter Voser took over as CEO of Shell.

A new Friends of the Earth report shows that he's in charge of an oil company that will bring about more climate change per litre of oil then any other.

Shell no longer wants to invest in solar and wind energy, and refuses to stop gas flaring in Nigeria.

Gas flaring

Gas flares are open-air fires that burn the natural gas that is released when oil is extracted from the ground.

Gas flaring is illegal under Nigerian law. It endangers human health and also:

Harms local ecosystems
Emits large amounts of greenhouse gases
Wastes vast quantities of natural gas

Nevertheless, major oil producers have been allowed to continue this practice for decades.

Urge Shell's new CEO to make the right choice and end gas flaring in Nigeria once and for all.

Stop gas flaring in Nigeria

Dear Mr Voser,

Here's an example you can use (but personalising this message would be much more effective).

You are no doubt aware of the devastating impact gas flaring has on the health of Nigerian people and their land, as well as the harmful impact it is having on our climate. Flaring in the Delta region causes respiratory illnesses, blindness, cancer and birth defects amongst local people. The toxic compounds in the gas have entered streams and fields, endangering the fishing and farming people rely on for their subsistence and livelihood. But the impact does not end in Nigeria. Gas flaring has caused more greenhouse gas emissions than all other sources in sub-Saharan Africa combined, thereby worsening climate change, which has damaging consequences for us all. This atrocious practice must end. Shell has promised to stop gas flaring countless times. These broken promises aggravate the communities that continue to suffer the effects of 24-hour flaring and show a flagrant disregard for our climate that belies your professed concern. As the new CEO of Royal Dutch Shell, I believe you have a choice of what kind of future Shell will have; one of broken promises or one of honorable leadership on this issue in doing the right thing by ending gas flaring. I urge you to take this opportunity to end the injustice of Shell's gas flaring in Nigeria once and for all.

You can contact me by email (preferably - to save resources) or at the following address:

Required data

Title

Please choose a title

First name

Surname

Postcode

Find Address

House Name / No.

Street

Town / City

Country

Please enter your country

Please tick this box if you would like Friends of the Earth to use the contact details you have supplied, including your email address, to keep you up to date on our work and what you are helping us to achieve.

Friends of the Earth is a collective name for Friends of the Earth Trust, registered charity 281681, company number 1533942, and Friends of the Earth Limited, company number 1012357, both of which may use the above information. In both cases the registered office is at 26-28 Underwood Street, London, N1 7JQ.

Stop gas flaring in Nigeria7 July 2009

Gas flaring

Stop gas flaring in Nigeria

Latest news

Get involved

Related links

Stop gas flaring in Nigeria
7 July 2009