Greenpeace today welcomed the announcement by Royal Dutch Shell that the company will not attempt to pursue offshore drilling in Alaskan Arctic waters in 2013. Phil Radford, Greenpeace USA Executive Director said in response:This is the first thing Shells done right in Alaska – calling it quits. Shell was supposed to be the best of the best, but the long list of mishaps and near-disasters is a clear indication even the best companies cant succeed in Arctic drilling. Secretary Salazar and President Obama gave drilling a chance; now the responsible decision is to make Arctic drilling off limits, forever.
Taking the lead on saving the Arctic from dangerous exploitation will not only protect the fragile Arctic ecosystem and the communities that depend on it, it will send a powerful signal to other nations that its time to kick our addiction to fossil fuels. Drilling in the Arctic will propel us towards catastrophic climate change, so it needs to end now.
Shells announcement today is an admission that the millions of people around the world were right to urge Obama to keep the company out of the Arctic. Now Obama needs to listen to the 2.7 million people who have signed on to #SaveTheArctic and make Arctic drilling off-limits forever.
Tell President Obama to make Arctic drilling off limits for good.
