Arctic Refuge Not Part of BP's Business Plan

London based oil giant British Petroleum (BP) Chairman Peter Sutherland announced last week at the company's general meeting that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is "not part of its current business plan." Conservationists hailed the announcement as a victory for a campaign to persuade BP to stay out of sensitive and protected areas. "Drilling in the Arctic does not make sense from an environmental standpoint and the company's announcement today shows that BP recognizes that it does not make good business sense either," said Athan Manuel, Arctic Campaign Director for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "We hope that we can build on a productive annual meeting and develop a long term no-go zone policy for sensitive areas." Manuel and the Right Reverend Mark MacDonald of the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska presented a shareholder resolution at the annual general meeting aimed at pressuring BP to consider a "no-go zone policy." The resolution, filed by a trans-Atlantic coalition of environmentalists, religious organizations, and socially responsible investors, directs BP to report on the risks associated with operating in sensitive and protected areas such as World Heritage Sites, IUCN categories, and national parks, monuments, and wildlife refuges. More than six […]

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