SHELL OIL SPILL: HARVIE SAYS LAW ON THE SIDE OF BIG POLLUTERS
Patrick Harvie, MSP and co-convenor of the Scottish Greens, has branded charges imposed on Shell's for the Gannet Alpha oil spill in 2011 as "nothing short of a joke".
Harvie highlighted that the £22,500 fines for the North Sea oil leak were insignificant considering the company's multi-billion dollar annual profits.
The Glasgow MSP called for tougher government regulation on environmental crime.
Patrick Harvie said:
"While I'm glad to see Shell plead guilty to this environmental disaster, the trivial level of fines given to this multi-billion dollar company is nothing short of a joke.
"Last year, Shell turned a profit of 14.9 billion dollars, so these minuscule fines will do nothing to make the company change its ways. Multinational fossil fuel giants like Shell have substantial funds put aside to cover the cost of their dirty laundry - pouring thousands of barrels of oil into our waters is just another day in the office for them.
"It's is the job of the justice system to protect the people and the environment from criminals like Shell, but at the moment, the law seems to be on the side of the perpetrator. This judgement should act as a stark wake-up call to our governments, and lead to tougher regulation on environmental crime."