Shell attacked over four-year delay in Niger delta oil spill clean-up
Two large crude oil spills from Shell pipelines in the Niger delta four years ago have still not been cleaned up by the company despite an outcry by the UN, Amnesty International and the Nigerian government about pollution in the area. Shell accepted responsibility and pledged to fully restore the damage done by spills from its rusting pipelines near the Ogoni village of Bodo in 2008. However, an assessment has found only small pilot schemes were started and the most contaminated areas remain untouched. The impoverished Ogoni fishing and farming communities say they still cannot return to work and have received no compensation. (The Guardian)
Ofgem threatens fines for energy companies missing efficiency goals
Energy companies are facing huge fines if they are found to be falling short of government-set targets to install energy efficiency measures for consumers. Regulator Ofgem on Friday set a deadline of the end of December for energy companies to meet the goals established under two schemes, the ‘Community Energy Saving Programme’ (CESP) and the ‘Carbon Emissions Reduction Target’ (CERT), or face financial penalties of up to 10% of turnover. Ofgem said this would ensure companies that fail to meet their obligations do not simply stop at the end of the year, but continue to "do the right thing by the public and the environment". (Business Green)
Corporate Reputation
2,000 staff in brawl at Apple factory in China
A brawl between 2,000 workers at Foxconn Technology Group, which makes electronic gadgets for Apple, Hewlett-Packard and Sony, erupted last night in northern China as regional rivalries between migrant workers boiled out of control. At least 50 people are understood to have been injured in the six-hour mêlée in Taiyuan, which began with an altercation between a worker and a security guard at 11pm on Sunday but was joined by thousands of workers finishing the evening shift. The incident is the latest case of labour unrest at Apple’s main supplier despite the efforts Foxconn has made since 2010 to revamp the way it manages its 1 million-strong Chinese workforce. (The Times*, Financial Times*)
Ikea boss promises more openness
The chief executive of Ikea, the privately owned flatpack furniture retailer, has said that the company would continue to open up as he defended its culture after spying and bribery problems. Ikea was accused of spying in France earlier this year and consequently suspended three senior managers, including the former head of the country. In Russia two years ago it fired two senior directors for allowing a contractor to bribe an official. Ohlsson recently published the furniture retailer’s financial results for the first time since it was founded in 1943 and he has said he is prepared to discuss Ikea’s strategy up until 2020. (Financial Times*)
Policy & Research
Ed Davey tells anti-green Tories 'I'm not for turning'
An anti-green movement within the British Conservative party is threatening tens of billions of pounds of investment, Energy Secretary Ed Davey has said. Mr Davey said he would not be deterred from his vision of a "new green economy". He called for his "green deal" to be universally accepted, adding it could potentially create 60,000 new jobs in the UK. The speech came as the Liberal Democrat conference voted in favour of environmental motions calling for the UK to play a more proactive role in international climate change negotiations. (BBC, Business Green)
COMMENTS