The dispersant used in the Deepwater Horizon clean-up appears to be more toxic to corals than crude oil, writes Danielle M DeLeo. It also increases the concentration of oil in seawater, leading to higher, more toxic exposures of oil components when they come into contact with corals and other marine organisms.
… Dispersants sprayed after Deepwater Horizon oil spill more toxic than oil alone Danielle M DeLeo | 26th April 2015 News Oceans Oil Pollution USA …
Farmers on Palawan are being tricked into giving land away to palm oil companies with local government support, writes Rod Harbinson. Under the palm oil company 'leases' the farmers lose all rights to their land, never receive any money, and are saddled with 25 years of debt. Those who resist the land grabs are now in fear for their lives following the murder of a prominent campaigner.
… islanders unite to resist 'land grab' palm oil companies Rod Harbinson | 7th January 2016 … being tricked into giving land away to palm oil companies with local government support, writes Rod Harbinson. Under the palm oil company 'leases' the farmers lose all …
A year after Shell was forced into a £55 million settlement with an indigenous community in Nigeria devastated by oil spills, a UK High Court judge has allowed two new such cases to proceed on behalf of some 43,000 subsistence farmers and fishers whose livelihoods have been wiped out by the same cause.
… 53,000 Nigerian oil spill victims press new Shell lawsuits Oliver Tickell | 2nd March 2016 News Oil Energy Pollution Corporations Fishing Farming Indigenous Peoples Nigeria oil-spill-cut.jpg A year after Shell was …
Russia’s oil Goliaths have been devastating vast areas of natural landscape, and indigenous people’s lives, in their rush to extract the black gold that lies beneath. But as Georgy Borodyansky reports, a family of reindeer herders has taken them on.
… Siberia - a Small People challenges Big Oil Georgy Borodyansky | 14th June 2014 News Oil Russia Indigenous Peoples fires-oil-ramil-sitdikov.jpg Russia’s oil Goliaths …
Full credit to Peru for creating the Sierra del Divisor national park in one of the most precious areas of the Amazon, write Lewis Evans & Sarina Kidd. But not for leaving it open to oil drilling, risking the future of uncontacted indigenous tribes that depend on their pristine rainforest environment to survive.
… Plan' opens uncontacted tribe's land to oil drilling Lewis Evans Sarina Kidd | 7th October 2016 News Peru South America Oil Energy Corporations Indigenous Peoples … & Sarina Kidd. But not for leaving it open to oil drilling, risking the future of …
Days after Shell received US Government backing for its plans to drill in the Chukchi Sea in the Alaskan Arctic, volunteers from Greenpeace have occupied its 'Polar Pioneer' oil rig in the Pacific Ocean to demand a halt to all Arctic oil exploration.
… Ottery Oliver Tickell | 7th April 2015 News Oil Oceans Pollution Regulation USA … Greenpeace have occupied its 'Polar Pioneer' oil rig in the Pacific Ocean to demand a halt to all Arctic oil exploration. Six Greenpeace volunteers …
A small community in Uganda is challenging a UN-backed international oil palm venture that has expropriated small farmers and obliterated an entire forest on a Lake Victoria island to establish a vast plantation. Three years after the grab, Friends of the Earth groups are backing the islanders legal action, which is launched today.
… UN, banks and oil palm giants feast on the stolen land of … islanders dispossessed by the IFAD-supervised oil palm plantation that has robbed him of his … is challenging a UN-backed international oil palm venture that has expropriated small …
After 20 years of oil spills, deforestation, waste dumping and ill health, farmers and indigenous people in the the Ecuadorian Amazon have been fighting the Chevron-Texaco corporation. But despite its three times conviction and a $9.5 billion damages award to the victims, the oil giant looks no closer to making good its damage.
… Cazorla Miriam Gartor | 17th July 2015 News Oil Waste Pollution Ecuador Indigenous Peoples … Corporations Law USA Health chevron-ecuador-oil-cut.jpg After 20 years of oil spills, deforestation, waste dumping and …
President Trump's recent executive order could open an area of America's most precious landscapes bigger than Yellowstone to oil drilling and coal mining, write Lawrence Carter & Joe Sandler Clarke. The 27 monuments 'under review' harbour huge volumes of oil, gas and coal: just what's needed to fuel Trump's vision of fossil fuel-led development - never mind the cost to scenery, wildlife, historic sites and indigenous cultures.
… order could open 2.7 million acres to oil, gas, coal Lawrence Carter Joe Sandler … | 12th May 2017 News USA Fossil Fuels Oil Gas Coal Climate Change Politics … landscapes bigger than Yellowstone to oil drilling and coal mining, write Lawrence …
Oil majors are gearing up to exploit Arctic oil, writes Mike G. But they don't want to carry the costs of all the safety equipment the US Government is demanding to protect the fragile Arctic environment from spills. And they're reluctant to give up the use of toxic chemical dispersants.
… Arctic madness: oil majors plead for lower safety standards … G DeSmogBlog | 6th October 2014 News Arctic Oil Fossil Fuels Toxics USA Oceans Pollution arctic-oil-greenpeace-cut.jpg Oil majors are gearing …
A new investigation of palm oil plantations, companies and auditors has found that the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil is failing to deliver on its promise, writes Chris Lang. Widespread fraud, collusion between auditors and companies, conflicts of interest, and a flawed complaints system mean that RSPO-certified palm oil may be destructively and illegally produced.
… Sustainable palm oil? RSPO's greenwashing and fraudulent audits … Peoples Regulation Corporations palm-oil-malaysia-cut.jpg A new investigation of palm oil plantations, companies and auditors has …
The people of Sarayaku in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest are a leading force in 21st century indigenous resistance, writes David Goodman, resisting the incursion of oil exploration into their lands, winning legal victories, and inspiring other communities to follow their example.
… Deep in the Amazon, one tribe is beating big oil David Goodman | 30th March 2014 News Oil Indigenous Peoples Ecuador Climate Change … David Goodman, resisting the incursion of oil exploration into their lands, winning …
BP's plans to explore for oil in the deep seas of the Great Australian Bight came under fire today at the company's Annual General Meeting in London, writes Graham Readfearn. The drilling would risk the ocean's rich marine wildlife - while blowing a massive hole in Australia's COP21 emissions targets.
… BP's deep sea oil exploration in South Australia - no way! … Readfearn DeSmog.uk | 14th April 2016 News Oil Energy Corporations Climate Change Oceans … matt turner-cut.jpg BP's plans to explore for oil in the deep seas of the Great Australian …
Supported by state and national governments, palm oil plantations are advancing over the rainforest hills of Sabah, Malaysia, writes Sophie Chao. In their way: the indigenous Murut of Bigor, whose culture, livelihood and very lives are under threat as forests and farms fall to chainsaws and bulldozers, enriching loggers and distant investors beyond the dreams of avarice.
… Malaysia: the Murut struggle against palm oil, for land and life Sophie Chao | 12th December 2016 Activism Malaysia Palm Oil Corporations Farming Indigenous Peoples … by state and national governments, palm oil plantations are advancing over the …
A vital nature preserve in western Siberia, and the indigenous peoples that inhabit it, are at risk from oil development, write Elena Sakirko & Konstantin Fomin. Oil giant Surgutneftegas is already active in the Numto Park, but now they want to extend operations into its fragile wetlands, putting at risk snow cranes, the Heavenly Lake, and the survival of the Nenet and Khanty peoples.
… peoples' of the High North at risk from oil drilling Elena Sakirko Konstantin Fomin | 28th February 2016 Activism Russia Oil Indigenous Peoples Water Birds sledge.jpg … peoples that inhabit it, are at risk from oil development, write Elena Sakirko & …
A palm oil company's 'forest conservation' programme in Indonesia has ended up being a second land grab, writes Marcus Colchester - seizing resources from local communities' control.
… Palm Oil company plan to slow deforestation … | 23rd January 2014 News Forest Palm Oil Indigenous Peoples Borneo marcus-forbidden.png A palm oil company's 'forest conservation' programme … from local communities' control. Palm oil companies have long been criticised for …
The palm oil industry's repeated failure to keep its promises illustrates why global initiatives to achieve 'sustainable palm oil' must place communities centre-stage, writes FPP. Standard-setters like the RSPO must demand action, enforcement and accountability - not just lofty commitments that inspire hope, but rarely deliver.
… To make palm oil 'sustainable' local communities must be in … high. Photo: Justin Kenrick / FPP. The palm oil industry's repeated failure to keep its … initiatives to achieve 'sustainable palm oil' must place communities centre-stage, …
A month-long blockade of the Rio Tigre deep in the Peruvian Amazon has secured promises of compensation and cleanup for Peru's Kichwa communities who have suffered 40 years of contaminated waters from oil drilling operations in their remote Amazon region. But until the funds materialize, they are holding firm in their resolve.
… for Peru's Kichwa People after 40 years of oil pollution David Hill | 10th February 2015 News Oil Pollution Peru South America Politics … suffered 40 years of contaminated waters from oil drilling operations in their remote Amazon …
This month in Sumatra, Indonesia, 1,500 armed men demolished four indigenous villages and displaced inhabitants who were not willing to surrender their land to a palm oil company.
… Indonesia: terror and eviction for palm oil Rainforest Rescue | 25th December 2013 News Rainforest Biofuel Palm Oil Biodiesel Indigenous Peoples Indonesia … not willing to surrender their land to a palm oil company. The consequences of soaring …
The rights of nature and of indigenous communities are enshrined in Ecuador's constitution, writes Kevin Koenig. But down in the Amazon the government is going full speed ahead with oil extraction on indigenous territories whose owners are committed to keeping their forests and waters pollution-free. A mighty battle is brewing that looks certain to come to a head this year.
… Ecuador's next Amazon oil battle: Indigenous Peoples on the front … Amazon Watch | 4th April 2016 News Ecuador Oil Indigenous Peoples Politics Amazon Forests … the government is going full speed ahead with oil extraction on indigenous territories whose …
Ecuador is facing an unprecedented confrontation between a 'progressive' left-leaning government and a national coalition of indigenous peoples determined to stop vast oil and mining projects taking place on their community land and villages.
… declare 'national mobilization' against oil and mining David Dene | 24th May 2014 News Mining Ecuador Oil Indigenous Peoples Economics Politics … of indigenous peoples determined to stop vast oil and mining projects taking place on their …
Peru - host of the COP20 UN climate conference now under way in Lima - is facing rebellion by a 3,500 strong indigenous people deep in the Amazon committed to fighting oil exploration in their forest territory, writes David Hill, following the government's failure to consult Matsés communities or respect their rights.
… indigenous people pledge to fight Amazon oil exploration David Hill | 8th December 2014 News Indigenous Peoples Brazil Peru Oil Fossil Fuels War Corpoirations … in the Peruvian Amazon pledges to attack oil workers intruding into the tribe's …
The oil and gas industry has admitted that its canals and drilling rigs have destroyed 1,900 square miles of coastal wetlands on the US Gulf Coast, but a Federal Judge with deep industry ties has ruled that 97 companies off have no liability for the $50 billion damage.
… Oil lawyer turned judge rules: industry … Cousins DeSmogBlog | 19th February 2015 News Oil Oceans Fossil Fuels Law gulf-oil-depot-cut.jpg The oil and gas industry has …
Thanks to damage to coastal wetlands by the oil & gas industry, Louisiana is losing two acres to the sea an hour, writes Julie Dermansky. The companies are legally obliged to repair their damage - but they haven't and the cost has reached $50 billion. The answer? A Bill backed by the state governor to make them immune from lawsuits.
… New Orleans: oil & gas evading $50bn coastal restoration … Julie Dermansky | 5th September 2014 News USA Oil Fossil Fuels Oceans Law Politics … Thanks to damage to coastal wetlands by the oil & gas industry, Louisiana is losing two …