Royal Dutch Shell is facing a showdown with investors over its plans to pay £3m to directors simply to stay on the board for three years.

A weekend attack by militants on a Royal Dutch Shell plant in the Niger Delta and fighting in northern Iraq combined to intensify supply worries in oil markets.

BAE Systems, the arms giant accused of making corrupt payments worldwide to win lucrative contracts, has admitted it acted unethically in the past.

This week the shape of the global energy crisis came into its sharpest focus yet. The world needs renewable energy fast, but as BP and Shell announced record profits, they also demonstrated that they are in essence retreating from renewables, perhaps with the exception of biofuels. They intend to focus their record billions on expanding production of what remains of traditional oil and gas, plus tar sands and liquid fuels from coal - ruinous in their effect on the climate.

Following the government’s recent re-embrace of nationalisation, and Shell’s decision to withdraw from the London Array project (Shell ditches renewables stake, May 1), how about bringing Shell’s share into public ownership, financed by an appropriate levy on Shell’s rapidly increasing profits? 
Dr Martin Thomas 
Faversham, Kent

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/may/03/5

“Mere days after reporting first-quarter profits of £4bn, Shell has shown its true colours in what can only be described as a PR disaster for the company, and further proof that its media-friendly ‘greenspeak’ is both dishonest and irresponsible.”