Shell's investors are facing a tougher international legal environment that is likely to have a dramatic impact on its balance sheet as claims mount from its activities in the Niger Delta, according to a new independent report from specialists at the University of Essex.
The potential liabilities range from sizeable damages for failures to take adequate steps to prevent and clean up oil spills, through to liabilities under USA and European stock exchange rules.
Responding to the report, Peter Frankental, Economic Relations Progamme Director of Amnesty International UK, said:
"Amnesty International welcomes the findings of today's independent report. It draws attention to Shell's precarious legal position arising from its appalling impacts in the Niger Delta and brings closer the day when the company will be held accountable.
"Large parts of the Niger Delta, home to more than 30 million people, have become a polluted wasteland due to the activities of oil companies.
"Numerous oil spills have left local communities with little option but to drink polluted water, eat contaminated fish, farm on spoiled land, and breathe in air that reeks of oil and gas.
"Yet, Shell has consistently failed to own up to its responsibilities and appears to be operating to lower standards in the Niger Delta than elsewhere, simply because it thinks it can get away with it. This report makes clear that the parent company, Royal Dutch Shell, can be held liable for its subsidiary's failure to operate to acceptable standards.
"The company's actions over the past 50 years have built up a legacy of potential liabilities. If I were a pension fund holder, I'd take a long hard look at these findings and demand Shell's Board take immediate action.
"Shell can no longer wriggle away from its responsibilities. This report sets out a clear legal basis for its parent company to exercise a duty of care towards those affected by the operations of its subsidiary in the Niger Delta. The longer Shell fails to act, the more costly the clean-up process becomes - and that hurts not just the people of the Niger Delta, but the company's investors.
"The net is closing in. International litigation is growing, with compensation cases now in progress in the Netherlands, the USA and in the UK. Shell's ability to drag out legal proceedings in Nigeria to delay paying compensation is coming under growing scrutiny. The day of reckoning for the company's cavalier attitude towards addressing its environmental and human rights impacts is approaching.
"The final total bill could run into many billions of pounds."
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"I HOPE NIGERIA SES IT SELF ALSO IN THE MIRROR THERE ARE 'THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE' BEING ABUSED BY THESE CAPITALIST' WHO CARES NOT ABOUT PEOPLE ; ONLY PROFIT!!!!!!!!! THIS IS AN UNIMAGINABLE SCALE OF ABUSE THIS CULP[ABILITY IS TANDUM TO " WAR CRIMES" UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAWS"; HOWEVER I AM SURE IF YOU TOOK THIS TO THE ICC' THEY WILL TELL YOU THIS IS NOT UNDER THIER PROSECUTIONAL EXPANSE!!!!. THESE ARE HUMAN ABUSES WHICH LEADS ALMOST ALWAYS TO CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY!!! NOT ONLY WAR JUST PLAIN CONFLICT WAR CRIMES' BUT PREMIEDITATED WAR CRIMES WHICH IS ON THE SIDE OF THE CORPORATIONS"..WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT THEY PURSUE THIS WHIE SUPREMACIST IDEOLOGY MAKING THEMSLVES ABOVE THE LAWS OF THE EARTH. THEY CAN MURDER DESTROY POLLUTE SABOTAGE REGIME CHANGE ALL LEGALLY WITH NO REPURCUSSIONS!!".THIER MISBEHAVIOURS MUST STOP WE MUST NOT ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE ALONG HIS RTECKLES PATH THEY ARE COMMITTING TOO MANY CRIMES WE SEE THIS SAME PATTERN IN SOPUTH AMERICA WHERE THE SOIL THE RIVERS ARE DSTROYED POISNED WTHJ ACID AND ALL SORTS, THE PEOPLE HAVVE NO DRINKING WATEWR THE WATER HAS BEEN KILLING THEM FOR YEARS!!! WHY ARE THEY H GETTING AWAY WITH PREMEDITATED MURDRS THEY KNOW IF THEY BUILD INEFFICIENT STRUCTURES TO EXTRACT THE OIL AND GAS THESE THINSG WILL OCCURR. WHAT THEY DO ISBUY PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT AND WHILE IN THE WEST THE SAME BRIBERY GOES ON THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY IS MUCH HIGHER; THEY CAN NOT BUILD FLIMSY PIPE LINES THAT WILL JUST LEAK AS FREQUENTLY AS THEY DO IN AFRICA AND THEY MUST RESPOND EFFECTIVELY AS WE SAW THE OI;L SPILL IN MEXICO. AFRICA MUST HJAVE A STRONG UNITED UNION IN ORDER TO BE A STATE THAST JUST CAN NOT BE POUSHED AROUND. HECE THE NEE FO FIRM INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL PROVDE FOR AFRICA TO HAVE ITS OWN HIGH STANDARD "INTERNATION COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS" THAT CAN COVER ALL CONFLICTS AND THESE TERRIBLE VIOLATIONS OF TRSUT THIS LIABILITY THAT SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY AFRICANS. THI IS WHY ISAY THE MORE WE GIVE TO THIS TINY LITTLE ICC THE MRE TIME WE WASTE BEFORE WE HAVE A STANDARD OF COURTS THAT WILLO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THA THE WEST. AFRICA WILL NTO ALWAYS HAVE CPONFLICT SO WE DO NOT NEED WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO PICK OVER AFRICA LIKE A CORPSE AND THEY ARE THE VULTURES THIS JUST ANOTHER TOOL TO KEEP AFRICA BAKWARDS!!!!"... " SHELL IS AWARE IF THEY DO NOT PUT EXPENSIVE AND DETAILED ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY PROTECTIONS IN PLACE THEN THERE IS NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE FALL OUT!!!. . "WHAT THESE GREEDY CAPITALIST MURDERERS DOES, IS AS THEY ARE USED TO DOING AT HOME CIRCUMVENT LAWS"; "THIS IS A PATTERN OF CRIMINALITY 'THAT MOST WESTERN CORPORATIONS PRACTICES ' THEY ARE NEVER CULPABLE THEY ARE ALWAYS BLAMELESS NEVER ACCEPT RTESPONSIBILITY!!!! WHAT TYPE OF PEOLE ARE THESE THEY ENEVR LEARN THEY JSUT CONTIUE TO DO THE WRONG THINSG ALWAYS!!!!!!!. THIS PRACTICE OF BRIBERY AD CORRUPTION IS USED AT THE VERY HIGHEST OF OFFICIALS IN THE WEST AND ANYWHERE ELESE IN THE PLANET. THEY FEEL IF THEY CAN BUY OUT THE LEGISLATURES OF PROMINEN T COUNTRIES WHO ARE THESE BLACK PEOPLE TO REFUSE THEM????. WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY MEET PEOPLE WITH INTEGRITY THEY UNDSERMINE THEM THEY USE COERCION SABATOGE AND EVEN MURDER TO FACILITATE THIER IGNOBLE AGENDAS".. THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES; I WONDER IFF NIGERIA TRULY SHARES ITS EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER NATIONS IN AFRICA ???. DO THEY SIT AT ECOWAS MEETINGS AND SCHOOL THE NEW PLAYERS AS TO CERTAIN PIT FALLS AND HOW THEY MUST PUT LEGISLATION IN THIER CINTRACTS THAT WILL REBUFF THESE UNCONSCIONABLES PEOPLES ATTEMPTS TO ALWAYS WIN WIN WIN!!!. WHENEVER YOU SEE THOSE THAT NEVER LOSE THERE IS SOMETHING DRAMTICALY WRONG THEY ARE EITHER COKKING THE BOOKS OR THEY ARE SO DEEP IN SCANDAL THAT ITS MIND BOGGLING'!!!!. IT IS TIME OR AFRICA TO HAVE OIL AND PETROLEUM SECTOR FOR ALL NATIONS WHO WILL TRACK SALES TRACK ENVIRONEMNTALCONDITIONS AND ATTACH A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE EXTRACTORS AND TO THE PEOPLE OF THESE OIL PRODUCING STATES.AFRICA NEEDS A STRONG REVUNUE DEPARTMENT THAT IS FIRM ASSERTIVE AND VERY WIZE IN TAX FRAUDS TAX EVASIONS AND KNOWS THIER REVENUE ACCOUNTING SKILLS VERY WELL. THIWS IS THE FIRST TIME I WOULD SAY SOUTH AFRICA, THY HAVE THE BEST SKILLS WORLD WIDE FOR OPEN TRANSPARENT REPORTING AND AUDITING SKILLS". WITH OTHER AFRICAN NATIONS AFRICA COULD PROPELL IT SELF INTO THE PREMIERE LEAGUE OF OIL AND GAS BUSINESSES'.THERE SHOULD EBE ON CONTINENTAL LEVEL A PLACE FOR METALURGY OIL GAS AGRICULTURE, ALL CONTROLLED OWNED BY THE PEPLE OF THE CONTINENT AS THEY WOULD BE THE INVESTORS AND SHARE HOLDERS. WHOM BETTER TO HAVE AS SHARE HOLDERS THAN THE PEOPLE OF THE NATIONS AND ARAES THAT THESE COMMODITIES ARE BEING EXTRACTED ??!!!. AGAIN I SAY TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THE TIME FOR AFRICAN UNITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT TALKING BUT IMPLIMENTING !!!, SHOUDL YOU STOP WAITING FOR APROVAL FROM THE WST AND DO YOUR OWN THING ;; YOU WILL FIND THAT YOUR LIVES WILL IMPROVE AND THE LIVES OF THE PEOLE WILL IMPROVE. WHAT I NEED PEOPLE TO KNOW IS THIS THAT WEHN YOU OWN CONTROL YOUR RESOURCES YOU DO NOT DEPEND ON THE OPUTSIDE TO PROVIDE JOBS THESE JOBS SEEM TO MULTIPLY BY THEMSELVES. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEED FOR MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES TRANSPORTATION WILL HAVE TO INCREASE MORE RAIL LINKS MORE HIGHWAYS MORE PAVED ROADS THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED SO THAT MAKES MORE LONGEVITY OF WORK. THERE WILL BE MORE REVENUE FROM TAXES THAT WILL PROVIDE GOOOD EDUCATION NOT GRADFUATING PEOPLE THAT WOPNT FIND WORK BUT THOSE THAT CAN JUMP INTO ANY INDUSTRY. WENEED SCIENTIST TO COMBAT THE FREAK WEAHER SYSTEMS THAT IS BEING CAUSED BY THESE TYPES OF POLLUTANTS THAT WE SEE IN NIIGERIA.." I SAY TO MY BROPTYHERS IN NIGERIA " IF PATIENT DONT CARE HOW DOCTOR IS GOING TO CARE ?"... YOU GET THAT?? IF YOU DO NOT CARE FOR YOURSELVES MEANING THAT YOU SHADOW YOUR WELFAE AND PROTECT YOUR LONG TERM INTEREST; THESE PEOPLE DO NOT LIVE WITH YOU SO THEY DO NOT CARE IF YOUR WATER SUPLLIES ARE DESTROYED THEY DO NOT CARE IF YOUR RIVERS ARE POLLUTED WITH SPOILED FISHES AND SPECIES OF FISHES THAT HAVE BEEN IN AFRICA FOR MILLIUONS OF YEARS !!. THEY ARE NOT INETERSTED IN YOUR WELL BEING!!!!!. YOU NEED TO TRULY GET A GRIP WITH CORRUPTION; CORRUPTION IS THE DESTROYER OF NATIONS!!!!!!! THIS NEEDS TO GET THRU TO YOU. ULTIMATELY THESE WHITES ARE RESPONSIBLE BUT ISGNIFCAMNTLY THE CORRUPTION UNABATED WILL NOLY EXASERBATE ALLL"". IT IS TIME TO STOP BEING LAY THAT IS WHAT I CALL IT CHILDREN NEEDS TO START CHEMISTRY SCIENCE AGRICULTURAL STUDIES FROM THEY SATRT SCHOOL FORGET ABOUT HISTORY. WE NEED TO LEARN ABOUT THE FACTS OF SLAVERY HOW IT OCCURRED AND WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING THE CONTINENT BACKWARDS. WE THEN MUST TEACH INTERNATIONAL LAWS' SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DYMENSIONS OF THE EARTHS LEAGL FRAMEWORK. WE MUST STUDY MATHEMATICS FROM BABY SCHOOL MOTHERS ANFD FATHERS HAVE THEW LESSONS OF TEACHING TODDLERS COUNTING ADDITION FROM EARLY MAKE IT COMMON TO THEM. BY TIME THEY HIT ELEMENATRY SCHOOLS THEY ARE READY FR GEOMETRY ALGEBRA ALSO THE PERIODIC TABLE SHOULD BE KNWON TO ALL STUDENTS BY SECONDARY SVHOOLS. WE SHOULD START PHYSICS IN HIGH SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO GET AGGRESSIVE WITH EDUCATION. DO NOT START TO DESIGN SCHOOLS LIKE THE WEST; WE ADVANCE CHILDREN BY THIER LEARNING CAPABILITIES NOT USING AGE AS THE RULE".. THIS I SAY TO MY BROTHERS HAS TO BE CONDUCED IN A VERY STRESS FREE ENVIRONMENT. THE REASON WHY WHITES ARE SO SUCCESSFUL THEY BRING THE CONFLICTS ABROAD AND KEEP THIER NATIVE COUNTRIES STRESS FREE. THERE ARE NO BOMBINGS IN ENGLAND NEY YORK WASHINGTON PARIS YOU SEE MY POINT ??. THERE ARE NO RAPES IN GERMANY ON THE SCALE WE SEE IN CONGO WHY IN AFRICA ARENT WE GETTING THIS????????? CORRUPTION IS LESSON NUMBER 1, THEY USE CORRUPTION TO ESCALATE ALL THESE BAD BEHAVIOURS WHICH PUTS STRESS AND TRAUMA ON OUR PARENTS AND YOUTHS SO THEY DO NOT REACH MAXIMUM POTENTIAL!!!!. CHILDREN SHOULD NT WORK, UNLESS THEY ARE ON SUMMER HOLIDAYS OR THEY ARE AMBITIOUS AND WANT TO EARN POCKET MONEY SO THEY CAN ACQURE WHAT THEY WANT!!. IT IS TIME FOR US TO TRULY WAKE UP!! THESE RIVERS THAT ARE BEING POLLUTED ARE PORHIBITING MILLIONS FROM WORKING' IT IS CREATING FOOD INSECURITY'; THE ECO SYSTEM THAT WAS PROTECTED BY AFRICANS FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS; HAS GONE TO POTS IN A MATTER OF DECADES' ?????? THIS NEEDS TO EB CAPPED NOW!!!. YOUR FORE FATHERS PROTECTED AFRICA SO YOU COULD TODAY HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED , THEY DID NOT ABUSE THIER ENVRONMENT ,'AFRICA WAS PRISTINE LUSH TROPICAL PARADISE"!!!. WHAT PROBLEM WE HAVE IS LISTENING TO FOOLISHNESS AND PROPOGANDA BY WHITES IN THIER DEPICTION OF AFRICA ! WHICH HAS LED US TO OUR MISUNDERSTANDINGS OUR MISINTERPRETATIONS OUR UNDEREDUCATIONS HENCE APATHY TOWARDS OUR ENVIRONMENT". 'THIS CULTURE HAS TO BE REVERSED PRONTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!."AFRICA IS THE GARDEN OF EDEN' THE PROMISED LAND".. "IT IS TIME WE MADE SURE THAT OUR PARADIS' IS PROTECTED ;THE MORE WE DESTROY BY CUTTING DOWN OUR PROTECTIVE FOREST ,THE MORE WE DESTROY AN POLLUTE THE DRINKING WATER, THE MORE WE ARE SELLING ORUSELVES SHORT AND COMMITTING SUICIDE BY APATHY!!!." WE NEED TO COMMITT TO PROSECUTING THESE PEOPLE WE MUST REINFORCE ORU CONTRACTS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AU LEVEL ENVIRONMENTALIST WHO ARE REDAY PROSECUTORIALY FOR ANY BREACH BY THESE SNAKES AND PREDATORS' THAT COME TO AFRICA STILL EXPLOTING AND CORRUPTING!!!!!.THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE TAKEN TO THE ICC', SINCE THE ICC WANTS WORK ? THIS IS PROPER WORK", THESE ARE THE CASES THEY MUST PURUSE !!! "THEY CAN NOT DO THAT YOU SEE THEY WANT TRIALS THAT THEY WIN ???TRIALS THAT WONT COST THEM !!!TRIALS THAT WONT UNDERMINE THIER PAY CHECKS!!!! THY WONT PURSUE THESE MURDERERS THESE COLLABERATORS OF MASS DESTRUCTION SBATAGING RIVERS FERTILE SOIL DESTRUCTION OF BREATHING AIR; MILLIONMS HAVE BEEN MUIRDERED BY THESE PEOPLE ' THESE ARE SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY!!!. 'I SAY BRING THIS LITIGATION TO THE AU' SO THEY CAN PURSUE IT ON ICC' LEVEL, WE WILL SEE IF THIS ABOTU JSUTICE OR JUST ABOUT LOCKING UP AFRICANS!!!??????????????????????