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August 15, 2012

Greenpeace Warns of Dangers of New Arctic Oil Drilling 
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The environmental group Greenpeace is ramping up efforts to oppose oil
drilling in the Arctic. The Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom is
set to become the first company to produce Arctic oil through drilling
operations in the Pechora Sea. On Tuesday, Greenpeace warned an oil
spill there would cause irreparable damage, threatening some 50,000
square-miles. Greenpeace executive director Kumi Naidoo said the group
plans to continue to challenge drilling platforms in the Arctic.

Kumi Naidoo: "Our political leaders are in denial about how serious the
problem is. I mean, right now, if you look at the actual impact that is
taking place, the U.S. in July — hottest ever recorded temperature
from the time temperatures were ever actually kept. Fifteen states with
drought. Given the urgency, we do not make any apologies for peaceful,
non-violent direct action that actually gets our political leaders and
our business leaders to recognize that time is fast running out, and
that we have to act with greater urgency and a greater level of
ambition, if we are going to avert catastrophic climate change."

 

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