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Planes, claims and Arctic extraction
In April the Canadian House of Commons passed an 'austerity' budget that included the loss of 19,200 public sector jobs, cutting federal programs by $5.2 billion per year and raising the retirement age from 65 to 67. Yet Canada is significantly less austere when it comes to their military spending. This week it was announced…
1 Jun 2012 admin -
A New Frontier: the rush for oil and gas in East Africa
This article was written by Taimour Lay who investigated the activities of oil companies in East Africa for Platform. It first appeared on the African Arguments website. When you stand on the island of Rukwanzi at the heart of Lake Albert, your first thought, echoing perhaps the casual rhetoric of the region’s oil men, is…
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Pressure on Hague over Shell human rights case
Pressure is mounting on William Hague after the UK government attempted to block a US lawsuit against Shell for its human rights violations in Nigeria. Kiobel v Shell alleges that Shell aided and abetted human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed by the Nigerian military against the minority Ogoni people of the Niger Delta from…
28 May 2012 admin -
Party for Everybody? Eurovision and The Oil Road on Resonance FM Thursday 8pm
Q: What do the Eurovision Song Contest, the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have in common? A: Blurred ‘continental’ boundaries The Eurovision Song Contest takes place this Saturday night in host country Azerbaijan, which is also home to the subject of Platform’s upcoming book release The Oil Road – the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan…
23 May 2012 admin -
Holding Shell to account at the AGM
Just returning from the Shell AGM in Den Haag, Holland feeling inspired and energised by the passion and courage of all those that worked to hold the board of the company to account – both in the Dutch meeting and in the parallel event (linked by video) in the Barbican in London. Outside the conference…
23 May 2012 james -
Activists intervene in Shell lawsuit
Amnesty International and CORE have challenged the UK government’s attempt to block a court case that seeks to hold Shell accountable for its role in human rights violations in Nigeria. Platform supports the coalition of groups challenging the UK government and calling on it to reverse its position. The FT reports:
22 May 2012 admin -
Draft cover for “The Oil Road” arrives in office – what do you think?
The draft cover has arrived for Platform’s new book “The Oil Road”, due out with Verso in September. We’re gathering input from our circles and supporters. Would you pick this up in a shop? What are the three first words that come to mind when you see this cover? Please tweet us @platformlondon or email…
21 May 2012 admin -
“Heritage called in the cavalry” – investigation reveals oil company’s role in Congo killings
Documents sourced by Platform play a key role in a new Corporate Watch investigation revealing how British oil company Heritage triggered a Ugandan military operation that led to six Congolese individuals being killed, including a three-year-old child. The two-year investigation in East Africa exposes a cover-up and raises further concerns over oil extraction in the…
21 May 2012 admin -
Out in the Cold – new report on Shell’s plans in the Arctic
Shell’s Annual General Meeting tomorrow is unlikely to go calmly. The company’s problems range from anger over excessive executive pay to spills in the Niger delta. At this time, Platform, Greenpeace and FairPensions are putting to scrutiny offshore Arctic exploration as a key direction in the company’s strategy. The new report ‘Out in the Cold…
21 May 2012 anna
