Author Archives: jenny

Petition Dole food company to drop its amicus brief with Shell in key case for Ogoni people

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Today, a Supreme Court case starts to decide whether corporations can literally get away with murder. As well as being a vital case for the Ogoni people in Nigeria who have borne the brunt of Shell’s terrible attacks on the lives and human rights, this is also a key case in the battle about whether corporations can be held legally accountable for gross human rights abuses in foreign countries, or whether they enjoy legal immunity when operating internationally.

When the Ogoni people of Nigeria began to nonviolently protest Shell’s oil development, Shell cooperated with the Nigerian military regime to violently suppress opposition through extrajudicial killing, torture, and crimes against humanity. More than 60 villages were raided, over 800 people were killed, and 30,000 more were displaced from their homes.

Now this precedent-setting Supreme Court case could finally bring justice for the Ogoni people of Nigeria, but corporations like Dole Foods have filed briefs to the Supreme Court in support of Shell to protect their own interests and make sure they can’t be held accountable for human rights abuses abroad either.
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Fracking industry fringe event at Labour Party Conference October 2nd

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Hopefully opponents of fracking will be present at (or at least outside) a Shale Gas Industry fringe event at the Labour Party Conference tomorrow, to make sure Labour party members who attend this event hear the facts about fracking.

Industry speakers will be making sales pitches for shale gas extraction and use – something which the Climate Change Committee has pointed out would be illegal, since it would make it impossible to meet the UK’s legally binding carbon emissions targets.

Dr Claire-Curtis Thomas, CEO of the Institution of Gas Engineers & Manufacturers (IGEM), Huw Clarke of Cuadrilla Services Ltd and John Baldwin of CNG Services Ltd will present their spiels at IGEM’s shale gas-themed fringe event at the Midland Hotel – Royce Suite, 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS, at 12.30pm on Tuesday 2nd October 12.30pm. The IGEM website invites us to call 01509 678164 or 07904 633037 or email Matthew@igem.org.uk for further details.
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Environmental Information Regulations request to Natural England 28 Sept 2012

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Here is Natural England’s reply -1710 to the Environmental Information Regulations request that I made on 28 Sept 2012, as follows:

1. What form and process does Natural England’s “appropriate assessment” take when drawing up Consents and Management Agreements for land management on Natura 2000 sites (aka Europe 2000 sites)?

2. Is this the same as carrying out a Habitat Regulations Assessment?

3. How many Natural England Consents for Natura 2000 sites permit blanket bog burning and draining?
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Natural England’s old Vital Uplands policy

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At the Ban the Burn meeting on September 23rd, some people were asking about the environmentally-friendly uplands policy that Natural England ditched recently. This is the Vital Uplands policy. Natural England seems to have taken the policy document off its website – at least, when I last  looked, I couldn’t find it.

But I had downloaded some time ago, and just found the file on an old memory stick. Here it is. Continue reading →

Ask your Hebden Royd and Calderdale councillor to help make Ecocide a crime

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The campaign to Eradicate Ecocide aims to outlaw the destruction of ecosystems by making it the 5th international crime against peace. To help this happen, you can ask your Hebden Royd and Calderdale Councillors to support the creation of the law of ecocide, and send them a Template-motion-for-councillors that spells out a motion for them to put to the Council. Oxford Council has already done this, so it’s not unheard of.
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