When I learned about the oil giant BP’s plan to drill off the coast of my home, my heart felt like it dropped out of my chest. As I write this the West Aquarius rig is well on its way to the Nova Scotian Shelf. By the time this is published, it might have already arrived. My thoughts went immediately to those oil sullied shorelines in the Gulf of Mexico, and to the fishermen … [Read more...]
Climate litigation creates a strong mandate for global climate action
Two years ago, a courageous law student, Sarah Thomson (pictured, right), sued the New Zealand Government over its weak climate targets. Now she’s made history. On 2 November, 2017, the High Court of New Zealand issued a game-changing ruling. It found that climate change presents significant risks and government actions on climate change are subject to judicial scrutiny. The … [Read more...]
Brazil rejects oil company’s ‘Amazon Reef’ drilling bid
Brazil’s environmental regulator Ibama said on Tuesday it has rejected Total SA’s environmental study on drilling in the Foz do Amazonas basin, warning it needs more information or it will suspend the French oil firm’s license application. Ibama’s repeated refusals to accept Total’s environmental impact study has held up the company’s four-year quest to explore the offshore … [Read more...]