By Yemi Olakitan
Environmentalists from the Niger Delta region have urged those involved in the oil extraction industry to pressure International Oil Companies (IOCs) to begin the implementation of carbon emission reduction measures that are clearly outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement and that aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C or less.
Rev. David Ugolor, Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), urged investors to go on a fact-finding mission to learn the real state of the IOC’s operations in the area while speaking at a two-day workshop on Climate Crisis and Energy Transition in Port Harcourt.
Ugolor regretted that all of these things occurred while the region remained destroyed, noting that Shell announced a profit of 32.3 billion pounds at the end of 2022, the biggest in their roughly 115-year history.
In the Niger Delta region and other places across the world where oil exploration activities are taking place, he said: “Oil and gas exploration activities, with their catastrophic impact, are already obvious.
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“In this area, we deal with problems like gas flaring, oil spills, environmental degradation, pollution of the land, water, and air, loss of livelihood, health issues, and other adverse outcomes.
Sadly, despite international agreements on emission reduction, oil and gas firms are more concerned with increasing their profits than protecting our environment.
As of right now, Exxon Mobil reported a profit of around $56 billion, Chevron about $36.5 billion, and Shell a profit of 32.3 billion pounds (or 39.9 billion dollars), the largest profit in their history of about 115 years.
Although all of this is going on, the Niger Delta’s residents are suffering from poverty and misery.
The transition target of 2030, which emphasises the need for urgent global actions to combat climate change, indicates that this target will likely not be achieved, even by 2030, he expressed concern, noting that there are indications that the 1.5°C target in the Paris Climate pact is already very difficult to reach.
The average global temperature increase should be kept to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, according to the Paris Agreement. He also pointed out that Shell and other large oil firms’ climate and energy strategies fell short of this goal.
