The oil industry has many negative impacts on developing countries and the big oil companies often escape punishment for the impacts their industry has on the surrounding environment and the local people. This is a link to an article about a (rather messy and ongoing) courtcase between an American oil company and Ecuador regarding the allegations that the oil company dumped billions of gallons of toxic waste into unlined pits and the Amazon between 1972 and 1992 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12464063.
At present the Ecuador courts have ruled that Chevron, the oil company, should pay a £5.3 billion fine for the damage caused to crops, the death of lifestock and the increased cancer rates caused by the pollution they created. However Chevron are appealling this court ruling as they believe that the Ecuador government and Petroecuador are to blame. It is hoped though that the current court ruling will stand as environmentalists believe that this would then force companies operationg in the developed world to comply with the same anti-pollution standards that exist in developed countries.
No comments:
Post a Comment