Category Archives: Energy

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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Japan phasing out nuclear power by 2040

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In the wake of the 2010 Fukishima nuclear power station disaster, the Japanese government has announced that it will phase out nuclear power before 2040. “Every policy resource will be brought to bear to make it possible to have zero nuclear power plants in operation by the 2030s,” a Japanese cabinet energy policy document states.

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Calderdale Energy Future Panel excludes public from meetings

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Calderdale Energy Future Panel met on 3rd September for its first meeting. Please contact your Calderdale Councillor if you disagree with the decision that the Panel will meet in private, with no admittance for press or members of the public.

The membership follows, below.  Minutes and agenda are posted on the Calderdale Forward website.
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Energy Bill Revolution Update

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The Energy Bill Revolution team has emailed to say:

“153 MPs have shown their support for our campaign for warm homes and lower bills – making it the second most successful parliamentary motion that MPs have signed up to during this session of parliament. This is fantastic progress. Thank you for helping to make this happen!

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Funding for Sowerby Bridge & Todmorden households’ energy saving measures

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Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden wards are on the Department of Energy & Climate Change list of areas where households and social housing landlords will be eligible for Carbon Saving Community Obligation Support under the upcoming Green Deal. This means that households won’t have to repay the full costs of installing energy saving measures.
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Carbon democracy video

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This is a very interesting video of a lecture by Timothy Mitchell about the history of the collusive relationship between western imperial governments (UK and USA) and oil companies since the early 20th Century, and how it’s undermined working class power and democracy.  The lecture also looks forward to the prospect that the post-oil age which we will soon enter will compel the governments and corporations to become properly dependent on the democratic consent of the people. Timothy Mitchell’s lecture is based on his book, Carbon Democracy. There’s also a downloadable summary of Carbon Democracy.

Fracking

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Maybe you’ve been following the recent trial in Preston of anti-fracking activists who were arrested while occupying a Cuadrilla fracking rig in Lancashire. The court found the activists guilty of aggravated trespass and assault.

The UK Coalition Government is dancing to the tune of the fracking companies

The Frack Off Extreme Energy Action Network has published information about the revolving door between government, Cuadrilla and other oil and gas industry companies, and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE), which  released a report on fracking last month (June 2012). Until last year Lord Browne, Chairman of Cuadrilla, was President of the RAE. He owns 30% of Cuadrilla and is also a non-executive director of the Cabinet Office.
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