Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles

The report details 12 sustainability cases involving Royal Dutch Shell, highlighting systemic issues such as oil spills and gas flaring in Nigeria, toxic pesticide contamination in Brazil, and the high carbon intensity of Canadian tar sands. It examines the company's expansion into unconventional gas through fracking and its influence on political processes in the UK, Netherlands, and other host countries. The document argues that Shell's business strategy prioritizes profit over environmental and human rights, often employing a 'double standard' in its operational safety and reporting.

• In the Niger Delta, Shell's oil spill volumes increased significantly over three six-year periods, rising from 37,000 barrels (1989-1994) to 299,000 barrels (2005-2010). Shell frequently attributes these spills to sabotage to avoid liability, though critics argue the company's reporting is misleading and lacks independence.
• Nigeria is one of the world's largest gas flaring countries, and Shell's operations there contribute to greenhouse gas emissions 3.5 to 4.4 times higher than average conventional oil production. Despite promises to reduce flaring, Shell's flaring rose by 32% in 2010 compared to 2009 due to increased production.
• A Brazilian court ordered Shell and BASF to pay 1.1 billion Brazilian Real (approximately EUR 490 million) for health damages to former employees of a pesticide plant in Paulínia. The court found that workers were exposed to harmful substances without protective clothing and that Shell was aware of the harmful effects of the substances used.
• Shell's extraction of oil from Canadian tar sands results in well-to-tank emissions nearly 2.5 times higher than average fuels used in the EU. While Shell is implementing a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project called Quest, it is estimated to only partly compensate for the increasing emissions from expanding oil sands activities.
• Shell is expanding into unconventional gas using high-volume fracking in North America, China, Australia, and South Africa. This process requires enormous amounts of water—up to 5 million gallons per well—and poses risks of groundwater contamination and higher methane leakage compared to conventional gas.
• The report alleges that Shell has improperly interfered in politics, including drafting letters for former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to lobby Colonel Muammuar Gaddafi for a Libyan deal and maintaining a system of seconding staff to the Nigerian government to ensure access to ministry activities.
• Shell's climate strategy focuses on natural gas, biofuels, and CCS as a 'business case' for decarbonization, while the company has largely divested from wind and solar energy. The report notes that Shell's methane emissions are underestimated by using outdated IPCC reporting standards.
• In Curaçao, Shell left a 'toxic legacy' after selling its Isla refinery in 1985, including an asphalt lake containing approximately one million tonnes of asphalt and severe groundwater and air pollution that affected residential areas.

APA

ten Kate, A. (2011). Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Shell-background-report.pdf

Chicago

ten Kate, Albert. Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles. Friends of the Earth International, 2011. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Shell-background-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=ten Kate |first1=Albert |title=Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=May 2011 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Shell-background-report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tenkate2011royal, author = {ten Kate, Albert}, title = {{Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2011}, month = may, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Shell-background-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }