Media Room
For Immediate Release: March 23rd, 2011
Protesters unveiled the banner at the Shell-hosted conference, and distributed fliers, where nearly 2,000 industry professionals from around the world gathered to discuss natural gas technology. The stunt is part of a series of actions protesting Shell's plans to drill for coalbed methane in the Sacred Headwaters – located in the northwestern corner of the Canadian province, British Columbia – and comes two days after Shell Canada's 100th anniversary.
"The salmon from the rivers of the Sacred Headwaters has shaped the indigenous peoples' culture and traditions for millennia. The salmon-based economy remains crucial to the local communities," said Karen Tam Wu, Senior Conservation Campaigner for ForestEthics. "How can Shell claim to work 'collaboratively' when affected communities have voiced opposition to Shell's proposal? We're here in Amsterdam today to tell Shell that communities aren't willing to put their salmon at risk for 'clean energy' that would pollute their rivers."
The Sacred Headwaters is the source of three of Canada's most significant salmon-bearing rivers. All communities downstream from Shell's project have signed resolutions calling for a halt to Shell's coalbed methane development.
"Industry professionals come to Gastech to discuss the role of natural gas for the future," said Tam Wu. "But Shell's idea of an energy future is fueled by destroying an area that is culturally significant for many indigenous communities and is critical habitat for wild salmon and wildlife such as bears, moose and caribou."
Coalbed methane development in the Sacred Headwaters would require more than 1,000 wells to be drilled. Gas is extracted from bedrock underground using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking'. Fracking requires injecting vast quantities of freshwater mixed with sand and an undisclosed recipe of toxic chemicals underground. Cases have been reported in the United States and Canada where fracking has contaminated drinking water and fish-bearing streams, resulted in residents being able to set their tap water on fire, and poisoned and killed fish.
Protesters in Amsterdam Disrupt International Gas Conference
Royal Dutch Shell targeted at Gastech for project in Canada(High resolution photographs, PDFs of the banner and flyer are available upon request. Contact Claudia Li.)
AMSTERDAM - At a global gas industry conference today, ForestEthics protesters dropped a 3.5 metre-wide banner at the Gastech conference that read "Get the Shell out – Don't frack with Canada's wild salmon."Protesters unveiled the banner at the Shell-hosted conference, and distributed fliers, where nearly 2,000 industry professionals from around the world gathered to discuss natural gas technology. The stunt is part of a series of actions protesting Shell's plans to drill for coalbed methane in the Sacred Headwaters – located in the northwestern corner of the Canadian province, British Columbia – and comes two days after Shell Canada's 100th anniversary.
"The salmon from the rivers of the Sacred Headwaters has shaped the indigenous peoples' culture and traditions for millennia. The salmon-based economy remains crucial to the local communities," said Karen Tam Wu, Senior Conservation Campaigner for ForestEthics. "How can Shell claim to work 'collaboratively' when affected communities have voiced opposition to Shell's proposal? We're here in Amsterdam today to tell Shell that communities aren't willing to put their salmon at risk for 'clean energy' that would pollute their rivers."
The Sacred Headwaters is the source of three of Canada's most significant salmon-bearing rivers. All communities downstream from Shell's project have signed resolutions calling for a halt to Shell's coalbed methane development.
"Industry professionals come to Gastech to discuss the role of natural gas for the future," said Tam Wu. "But Shell's idea of an energy future is fueled by destroying an area that is culturally significant for many indigenous communities and is critical habitat for wild salmon and wildlife such as bears, moose and caribou."
Coalbed methane development in the Sacred Headwaters would require more than 1,000 wells to be drilled. Gas is extracted from bedrock underground using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking'. Fracking requires injecting vast quantities of freshwater mixed with sand and an undisclosed recipe of toxic chemicals underground. Cases have been reported in the United States and Canada where fracking has contaminated drinking water and fish-bearing streams, resulted in residents being able to set their tap water on fire, and poisoned and killed fish.
