Pay Compensation to Oil Communities, CSOs Urge Nigerian Govt, Oil Majors

By Lucky Isibor

Over Eighty (80) Global Civil Society Organisations and Seven (7) leading environmental activists  drawn from around the world have called on the Nigerian Government and investors in oil and gas companies to offer significant financing for loss and damages to the people of Niger Delta and other oil and gas host communities and countries affected by the negative impact of fossil fuel extraction which has resulted to climate change.  They also called on investors in the extraction of fossil fuels to stop availing financial support to companies that are expanding oil and gas production in defiance of the Paris Agreement.

Led by the Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, the Rev David Ugolor, National Coordinator, Publish What You Pay, PWYP, Nigeria Campaign, Otitaloye, PWYP International, Both ENDS,  350.org, BiPoC Climate Justice Network Germany, Ogoni Solidarity Forum-Nigeria, Electra Energy Cooperative (Greece),  Extinction Rebellion Germany, Extinction Rebellion Indonesia, among several others at the the CSOs wants Governments to introduce and enforce laws to stop oil and gas companies expanding.

The CSOs, who converged on Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for the COP 27  noted that the call has become imperative as "It is clear that powerful oil and gas companies have shown no willingness to make significant changes on their own."

According to the statement "Today, the Niger Delta region and other areas where fossil fuel extraction is taking place are highly polluted, thanks to the operations of Shell and other multinational oil companies, leaving the people of the region with little more than sorrow, tears and blood. 

"Around the world, there is clear evidence of irreversible damage to the planet, the loss of homelands and the people’s livelihood sources, cultures, ecosystems, and more. And it is the communities around the world that have contributed the very least to climate change that are paying the highest price. 

"In the last few weeks 33 million people were forced by floods to flee their homes in Pakistan, damage that will cost Pakistan US$15 billion according to World Bank estimates. Ravaging floods also rendered millions of people across several states in Nigeria homeless, damaging properties worth billions of dollars.

In sharp contrast, Shell has already made US$30 billion in profits this year, and agreed to pay out US$18.5 billion to its investors. The top seven global oil companies have made US$150 billion in profits this year."

While calling financial provisions for loss and damages to the people of the Niger Delta region, the statement called for the introduction of laws and enforcement of same to stop oil and gas companies from expanding and eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.

"We call on governments to: offer significant financing for loss and damages for the people of Niger Delta and other host communities and countries affected by the negative impact of fossil fuel extraction and climate change, introduce and enforce laws to stop oil and gas companies from expanding, end fossil fuel subsidies, and instead tax oil and gas companies to provide money for communities.

"Additionally, we call on pension funds, insurance companies, asset managers, and all other investors in these companies, starting with those that have any kind of commitment on climate or on “net zero”, to: agree to participate in a fact-finding mission early in 2023 in collaboration with civil society actors to witness the true impact on communities of oil company operations in the Niger Delta; stop lending moral and financial support to companies that are expanding oil and gas production in defiance of the Paris Agreement

stop promoting flawed “nature-based solutions” for “offsetting” carbon emissions - many of which amount to new carbon colonialism, pay communities for the cleanup of land degraded by oil and gas extraction,

agree that oil companies must make loss and damage payments."