Extinction Rebellion movements' climate protesters have blocked entry to Shell's offices in Aberdeen.
"At 6.30 am this morning, ExtinctionRebellion Scotland blocked all entrances to the headquarters of the oil giant on Altens Farm Rd in the European Oil Capital Aberdeen. Activists have secured the entrances with lock-on equipment and the main entrance with XR Scotland’s big purple boat..."
"They intend to stay there all day, with the aim of shutting the building down to disrupt business as usual," Extinction Rebellion said in a statement.
The organization said the action was part of Rig Rebellion 2.0, a two-week-long campaign by Extinction Rebellion Scotland targeting the fossil fuel industry and the institutions which prop it up, demanding a just transition led by a legally binding citizens’ assembly.
BREAKING #ExtinctionRebellion have blockaded entrances @Shell_UKLtd office in Aberdeen for #RigRebellion2
— Extinction Rebellion Scotland 🌍 (@ScotlandXr) January 16, 2020
Shell invest 95% in oil and gas and plan to increase the amount of fossil fuels they extract by 1/3 over the next 10 years.#ShellTheTruth#FuturesGoingUpInSmoke pic.twitter.com/KEXp5FA6YB
"Extinction Rebellion Scotland are disrupting business as usual because Shell is one of the top ten carbon emitters in the world, and is projected to increase their output of oil and gas by 35% over the next 10 years. Because Shell knew, back in the ’90s, that climate #breakdown was inevitable if they continued their practices," it said.
"We want Shell and the rest of the fossil fuel industry to tell the #truth about their role in the climate crisis, to halt their billion-dollar misinformation and lobbying campaign to undermine belief in climate change; to stop any action which could harm their profits; to erode any policies, not in their favor," Extinction Rebellion said in a statement on Facebook.
Commenting on protests outside Shell's offices in Aberdeen today, Gareth Wynn, communications director of industry body Oil and Gas UK said: "Climate change will be solved by practical actions not conspiracy theories and stunts. It’s disappointing that this group is choosing to disrupt the normal working day of people in this industry, causing alarm rather than engage in meaningful discussion with key decision-makers.
"This industry, through our Roadmap 2035, is committed to delivering an inclusive, fair and sustainable transition to a low carbon and diverse energy mix. Again, we welcome those who are willing to take part in meaningful and solutions-focused discussions. Our industry is packed full of people with the engineering and environmental knowledge and skills to play a key part in reducing emissions and we are already taking action.”
#ExtinctionRebellion protest at @Shell HQ #Aberdeen pic.twitter.com/SbnaDmLKBm
— Fiona Stalker (@Fionasstalker) January 16, 2020