Today I came home to find two pieces of good news awaiting in my inbox to make me smile on the inside ... and outside too!
Waitrose just couldn't cope with the campaigning polar bears ... and snowy owl!
Waitrose has seen sense to put it's new relationship with Shell oil on a back burner for 2013. There were possible plans for Small Waitrose outlets to be open on Shell forecourts - but the decision to roll out the idea has been shelved for the time being. Maybe it was the 12 days of incessant and vigorous campaigning by Greenpeace on the run up to Christmas that may have helped sway the decision. The Bristol East group were outside the Small Waitrose in Queen Street over the weekend engaging customers on the issue. Apparently, the staff on the bread counter were upset by our presence! And the store had to come to terms with the fact that one of our group was campaigning in a brilliant snowy owl costume!
It was also encouraging to hear that Waitrose agreed with our campaign to have the Arctic declared a world sanctuary against commercial exploitation. With this publically stated it is going to be very hard to rekindle its lovey-dovey relationship with Shell. However, we are very well aware that it will take more than this commercial spat to stop Shell's insatiable desire to drill for oil in the Arctic next year. The Save the Arctic campaign continues in the knowledge that our actions can make a positive difference.
Has EDF got any friends left?
Secondly, EDF were due to make a final investment decision by the end of the year on the building of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset. However, it has been reported that this decision has been put back until April, following an eventful week for EDF that saw Italian utility Enel exit a partnership to develop new nuclear reactors in France.
Enel exercised its option to terminate the partnership after EDF was admitted the estimated cost of its European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) at Flamanville in Normandy had risen by €2bn to €8.5bn. The latest cost overrun has led to fresh questions about the cost effectiveness of the French company's plans for a new fleet of nuclear reactors and has also provided UK anti-nuclear campaigners with fresh ammunition as they seek to oppose plans for new projects in the UK.
EDF issued a statement last week insisting the new cost estimates for its Flamanville plant would not impact its projections for Hinkley Point. So we need to wait until April to see how this tale unfolds.
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