Save The Arctic by Vicky Wyatt, climate campaigner
As the fossil-fuelled rise in global temperatures causes the Arctic’s summer sea ice to shrink to the lowest levels for 8000 years, oil companies are starting to transport their rigs and drill ships between the icebergs. A new oil rush will put this vulnerable environment at risk of oil spills, and it will lead to the burning of more fossil fuels - and more climate change. We must not allow those who caused the melting in the first place to profit from its disappearance. For the last two years we have confronted Cairn Energy who are drilling for oil in the Arctic. Now bigger oil companies, like Shell, ExxonMobile and Chevron are eyeing up the region. We have to stop them.
One way to protect the Arctic from the clutches of the oil industry is to use less oil in the first place. If we took the simple step of making the cars we drive much more fuel efficient it would negate the need for oil companies to drill in the Arctic in the first place. That’s why we must carry on confronting car companies like Volkswagen, who are still lobbying against a European climate law which would clean up our cars and reduce the need for Arctic oil. The pressure created by our campaign – 500,000 Jedi, a continued presence at their shadowy meetings and high-profile events and ongoing work to engage the public in local communities has got them on the run. The car companies are internally split, and this year we must escalate the pressure and make sure they agree to this key law, without any loopholes they can wriggle out of.
Comments