OIL giant Shell last night caved in to the massive international
pressure against the dumping of the Brent spar.
In a spectacular U-turn, announced only hours before the disused
installation neared its final resting place, the company unexpectedly
called a halt to the plan.
Despite the company's explanation that the change of heart was forced
on it by other European governments, rather than the seven-week campaign
by Greenpeace, the pressure group hailed it as a victory for the
environment and people power.
The move was widely welcomed by opposition parties who roundly
condemned Prime Minister John Major and the Government for ''standing
alone in Europe'' in supporting a decision that was ''clearly not in the
best interests of the environment''.
This view was not shared by President of the Board of Trade Michael
Heseltine who launched an outspoken attack on Shell for backing down in
the face of protest.
''They have caved in under pressure,'' he told Channel 4 News. ''I
think the Prime Minister has behaved in an exemplary way, and I think he
deserved better from a leading British company.
''I think they should have kept their nerve and done what they
believed was right.'' Shell had ''no sympathy'' from him, he said.
In a statement Shell UK said: ''As the disposal involved the Atlantic
deep water, other governments have taken an interest and voiced strong
objections.
''Notwithstanding the efforts to convince these governments of the
validity of the approach, most of them remain strongly against deep
water disposal.''
A Greenpeace spokeswoman countered: ''It is a victory for us but more
importantly it is a victory for all the people who campaigned against
the dumping.''
There are now suggestions that the platform may be towed to Norway to
be broken up although it is possible the operation could take place in
north-west Scotland.
Western Isles Labour MP Calum Macdonald, one of the leaders of the
campaign against dumping Brent Spar, has already called for an
investigation to be made of the suitability of Kishorn, the west coast
former platform construction yard, for such work.
Energy Minister Tim Eggar warned that the Government would not
automatically issue permission for the Brent Spar to be broken up on
land.
He said the Department of Trade and Industry had accepted proposals
for deepwater disposal after three years of talks.
''If Shell wishes to propose an alternative course of action the
Government will consider it,'' he said.
''That proposal will have to contain solutions to the problems which
led to the identification of deep sea disposal as the best practicable
environmental option.
''Until solutions acceptable to Government departments concerned have
been found, no agreement on abandonment will be available.''
Out in the Atlantic personnel on board the flotilla of ships were
shocked at the news. The reversal at such a late stage in the dumping
operation caught both Greenpeace and Shell crews unawares.
Brent Spar, a 14,500tonne loading buoy, was only hours from its
intended final resting place 6000ft under the Atlantic when the
climb-down was announced.
Soon after the announcement came the protesters occupying the Brent
Spar could be seen setting off flares. Crew members on board the
Greenpeace vessels Solo and Altair were said to be ''delirious'' with
joy and were reported to be hugging and kissing each other.
The standby vessels spraying Greenpeace vessels and the Spar with
water cannon turned off their hoses and foghorns blasted from the Solo.
One of the activists on the Spar contacted by radio with the news
said: ''I don't know if we can get better news than that. We're a bit
speechless.
''We don't normally win things do we? That's great! We're going to put
the kettle on.''
The German sea captain who was a central figure in the Greenpeace
campaign against dumping the Brent Spar last night offered to work with
Shell to find a better way to get rid of it.
Mr Ulrich Jurgens, 42, campaigns director for Greenpeace
International, said in Lerwick, Shetland: ''It's not a victory against
Shell or the British Government. It's a victory for the sea. We're all
willing and eager to work with the industry and the Government, to find
the real best practicable environmental option for solving this
problem.''
Shell UK chairman Dr Chris Fay said last night the company's decision
to abandon deep-water disposal of the Brent Spar had nothing to do with
protests by Greenpeace.
''I can say quite unequivocally it has nothing to do with the four
Greenpeace people sitting on the Brent Spar,'' he told a news conference
at Shellmex House, in London.
''We have spent quite a bit of time rescuing Greenpeace people in and
around the Spar in recent weeks, and if you don't believe we take safety
in the widest sense of the word, you don't understand.''
He admitted though that the company had been embarrassed by the
affair.
The company maintained that deep-water disposal was the best
practicable environmental option supported by independent studies.
However, it said it would now seek a licence from the UK authorities
for onshore disposal.
The question now arises where a suitable deep-water site exists to
store the Brent Spar in the short-term.
The only places in Europe with deep enough water to take it in would
be the fjords of Norway, which has not so far indicated any willingness
to harbour it.
As news of the U-turn swept Westminster, Shadow Scots Secretary George
Robertson led demands for a Government statement. Liberal Democrats
environment spokesman Matthew Taylor called the U-turn a ''triumph for
the environment movement and the general public and a total humiliation
for the Prime Minister''.
A Downing Street spokesman said the Brent Spar decision was ''a matter
for the company''. The Prime Minister had the previous day strongly
defended the Atlantic dumping as the best method of disposal.
Government sources pointed out that Shell UK had not altered its view
that disposal in the Atlantic was the preferable but had taken account
of public reaction.
Before the decision was announced Liberal Democrat leader Paddy
Ashdown asked Mr Major in the Commons if he proposed to deal with the
other 50 or so rigs waiting for disposal. Mr Major replied that each
would be dealt with on a case by case basis.
The Prime Minister strongly denied that Government scientists had
warned against dumping the Brent Spar at sea.
Mr Major insisted at Commons Question Time that the views of Ministry
of Agriculture Fisheries and Food scientists had been ''completely
misreported''.He said a leaked paper ''expressly did not apply to deep
sea disposal, which is what is proposed''.
Shell's climbdown was welcomed in many parts of Scotland last night.
Mr Lewis Smith, convener of Shetland Islands Council, congratulated
the company for listening to public opinion and responding positively.
''In Shetland we have always been aware of the fragility of the sea,
whether the North Sea or the Atlantic, both of which provide a living
for our fishermen.
''Our council will maintain pressure on the relevant authorities for
the safe and complete removal of the infrastructure necessary for the
offshore oil industry,'' he said.
SNP leader Alex Salmond said it was a famous victory for Greenpeace
and the environmental movement.
He called for an independent organisation to oversee the
decommissioning of offshore installations as they become redundant.
Western Isles MP Calum Macdonald said he did not think any oil company
would now dare to dump a platform at sea. ''Shell's about-turn is a
terrible embarrassment for the Prime Minister who just hours before was
against defending the dumping at sea decision,'' he said.
The MP added: ''For a #30m saving in disposal costs Shell has
attracted hours and weeks of the worst publicity any multi-national
company has had. Even before it decided the about-turn the battle had
been won. No other company is going to put its head into such a
noose.''He said the Government's defence of sea dumping had been absurd.
''Recycling the metal on the Brent Spar would be the equivalent of 400
million beer cans. How can the Government ask people to recycle their
beer cans for environmental reasons when they are prepared to support
such environmental waste?''
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Jim Wallace said he was pleased that
Shell had finally ''seen sense''. He added: ''The idea that dumping
Brent Spar in the Atlantic would have no serious environmental
consequences was ridiculous.
''John Major has now been made to look extremely foolish having stood
in Shell's corner over the matter.''
The Scottish Labour Party said it was ''absolutely delighted'' at the
decision.
Mr Tommy Sheppard, the party's assistant general secretary, said: ''It
is a victory not only for Greenpeace but for commonsense and for the
environment.
''It is an absolute disgrace that the Government was prepared to do
nothing to protect the environment and instead was prepared to allow a
multi-national company to engage in a major pollution of the North Sea.
''Thankfully for everyone the British Government on this, as on so
many other occasions, stands alone.''
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