WWF: Energy giants ignore pleas to help save whales
WWF: Energy giants ignore pleas to help save whales
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Monday, 20, Apr 2009 10:19
Two of the world's biggest energy companies are refusing to cooperate with a major consultation aimed at protecting some of the world's most endangered whales, the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) claims.
BP and Exxon have failed to reply to invitations from the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP) to join the discussions over how to minimise the danger to gray whales off Sakhalin Island, in far-east Russia, an area with extensive oil and gas reserves.
BP, however, say they have little to contribute as their activities in the region are "very insignificant" compared with Shell and Exxon.
Experts estimate only 155 gray whales are thought to remain in the wild, just 25 of which are breeding females.
Observers are adamant the number of gray whales in Sakhalin area is declining. Sakhalin Energy (a subsidiary of Russian giant Gazprom) and Shell have entered into negotiations with the WGWAP about the need to protect the whales' feeding environment.
Heather Sohl, WWF species officer said: "The continuing refusal of BP, Exxon and (Russian company) Rosneft to even consider joining other parties on the gray whale advisory panel is hampering conservation efforts and the flow of information - with potentially disastrous consequences for the whales.
"On the one hand, we have Shell and Gazprom at least looking at their plans to see if impacts on whales can be reduced and on the other hand we have BP, Exxon and Rosneft not even telling scientists what their plans are."
BP's work in the region is carried out by Russian company Elvary Neftegaz. A BP spokesman said: "You cannot compare the work of Elvary Neftegaz with the ventures Shell and Exxon are involved in. These activities are very insignificant and we would not have any useful data to contribute to the advisory panel at this time."
A spokesman for Exxon said: "Exxon Neftegas Limited (ENL) has co-sponsored a successful western gray whale monitoring program since 1997. This program is conducted by prominent Russian and international whale scientists. Based on these multi-year cooperative efforts, ENL has not observed any evidence that Sakhalin-1 project activities are adversely impacting the western gray whale population or their habitat in any measurable way.
"WGWAP was specifically established to provide advisory services on a contractual basis to the Sakhalin II development of Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. ENL and the Sakhalin-1 consortium are not a party to this agreement."