Is it just me or is the self-serving motivation behind virtually everything oil firms do totally obvious to all?
Royal Dutch Shell set up a charity, the Shell Foundation in 2000. Ostensibly it has a brief to work toward "sustainable solutions to social problems arising from the links between energy, poverty and the environment – as well as the impact of globalisation on vulnerable communities". Holy shit Batman! I'm all for it. I even registered for their newsletter so I can find out all the great stuff that their up to.
In addition they tell us that they are an "independent, UK-based charity" with an incredible $15 million / year in funding (more on this later).
So when the director of this selfless, charitable, independent organisation has an opportunity to meet with Hillary Benn, the secretary of state for international development earlier this year what did he want to talk about? Did he wish to discuss any of the noble projects highlighted on the Foundation's website such as "poverty reduction in Africa", reducing fatalities due to "indoor pollution", "easing traffic congestion and pollution" in developing countries or improving "access to world markets" for producers in the emerging economies? Funny you should ask.
He wanted to talk about the £11bn Sakhalin scheme, a controversial and environmentally sensitive oil and gas project in Eastern Russia. The project is currently suspended as the Russian government has suspended the project's permits due to environmental violations.
Yesterday the foundation got a big smack on the wrist from the Charities Commission over its conduct.
The 15 million USD in funding represents a substantial 0.06% of 2005 profits and 0.005% of 2005 revenues. Their generosity underwhelms me.
Royal Dutch Shell set up a charity, the Shell Foundation in 2000. Ostensibly it has a brief to work toward "sustainable solutions to social problems arising from the links between energy, poverty and the environment – as well as the impact of globalisation on vulnerable communities". Holy shit Batman! I'm all for it. I even registered for their newsletter so I can find out all the great stuff that their up to.
In addition they tell us that they are an "independent, UK-based charity" with an incredible $15 million / year in funding (more on this later).
So when the director of this selfless, charitable, independent organisation has an opportunity to meet with Hillary Benn, the secretary of state for international development earlier this year what did he want to talk about? Did he wish to discuss any of the noble projects highlighted on the Foundation's website such as "poverty reduction in Africa", reducing fatalities due to "indoor pollution", "easing traffic congestion and pollution" in developing countries or improving "access to world markets" for producers in the emerging economies? Funny you should ask.
He wanted to talk about the £11bn Sakhalin scheme, a controversial and environmentally sensitive oil and gas project in Eastern Russia. The project is currently suspended as the Russian government has suspended the project's permits due to environmental violations.
Yesterday the foundation got a big smack on the wrist from the Charities Commission over its conduct.
The 15 million USD in funding represents a substantial 0.06% of 2005 profits and 0.005% of 2005 revenues. Their generosity underwhelms me.
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