Greedy Oil Giant Shell Settles Greenpeace Lawsuit

Posted by John Donovan: 10 Dec 2024

Oh, Shell. The darling of sin stocks, the poster child for ruthless profiteering, environmental destruction, and apparently, public intimidation. In a move that screams look at us pretending to care, Shell has settled its $2.1 million lawsuit against Greenpeace. The crime? Greenpeace activists dared to peacefully board one of Shell’s oil rigs last year to protest its relentless climate destruction.

For all its legal muscle, Shell walked away with no damages. Not a dime. Instead, Greenpeace agreed to donate £300,000 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)—a charity that actually saves lives, unlike Shell, which is busy plundering and destroying the planet.

But Shell’s PR spin machine isn’t taking a day off. A spokesperson smugly declared they were “pleased” with the settlement, which they claim benefits safety at sea. Right, because nothing says safety like drilling for oil in the middle of a climate crisis. Oh, and let’s not forget Shell’s sinister in-house spy firm, Hakluyt, which targeted Greenpeace for daring to challenge the company’s environmental vandalism.

Let’s get this straight: Shell’s “concern” for safety came with an intimidation lawsuit branded as a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation)—a classic tactic to silence critics. Greenpeace called the lawsuit what it was: a tool for bullying activists who dared to hold this corporate behemoth accountable.

Adding insult to injury, Shell has secured a legally binding commitment that Greenpeace won’t protest at certain North Sea oil platforms for up to a decade. But don’t be fooled: these are declining fields where Greenpeace had no plans to act anyway. So, Shell gets a PR win for shutting down protests at sites it barely cares about. Bravo.

Areeba Hamid, Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director, called Shell out: “This legal battle might be over, but big oil’s dirty tricks aren’t going away. With Greenpeace facing further legal battles worldwide, we won’t stop campaigning until the fossil fuel industry stops drilling and starts paying for the damage it is causing to people and the planet.”

Speaking of paying, let’s take a moment to recognize Shell’s biggest investors. Vanguard and BlackRock, anyone? These financial titans pour billions into Shell, propping up its ability to extract, pollute, and profit while the world burns.

So here we are: Shell gets to slap a “benevolent” sticker on its PR nightmare while continuing to rake in billions from fossil fuels. Meanwhile, Greenpeace fights on against lawsuits from other oil giants like ENI and Energy Transfer. Shell may have avoided its trial, but the court of public opinion? That’s a whole different story.

In the end, Shell’s settlement is just a drop in the ocean of hypocrisy. If only they cared as much about the climate as they do about controlling their public image. Until then, we’ll all be here, choking on the fumes of their progress

Sources:

•Guardian’s report on the settlement

•Information on Vanguard and BlackRock’s investments in Shell from financial disclosures

•Background on SLAPP lawsuits and Greenpeace’s ongoing legal battles

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