Such a plan for a highly sensitive area did not go unnoticed for several organizations, who joined efforts to try to stop the initiative. Friends of the Earth US sent a letter to the US president, Barack Obama, to stop Shell from drilling the area.

Thousands of people from around the world signed the letter. Real World Radio interviewed John Kaltenstein, member of Friends of the Earth US, to know more about the organization and its work on this issue.

Friends of the Earth US joined other organizations working against Shell’s proposal, such as Oceana, Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Conservancy and Alaska Wilderness League, in signing the letter to Obama.

Kaltenstein claimed that these organizations are very concerned about the potential approval of Shell’s exploratory drilling in the northern Alaska coast (such as in the Beaufort sea).

“Oil and gas companies have no proof that they even have the capacity to clean up a major spill in the Arctic’s extreme conditions”, reads the letter to president Obama. “In the Arctic, one of our world’s last intact ecosystems and home to communities who depend solely on the ocean for survival, any accident from drilling could have disastrous results.”

Friends of the Earth US expressed special concern for the communities living in the polar regions. In fact, the environmental organization has been promoting the passing of bills and regulations to control the growing commercial navigation of those areas, not only in the Arctic, and to ensure environmental protection and the protection of local communities. Thousands of oil, gas and mineral ships sail across the Arctic Ocean every year, said Kaltenstein.

Friends of the Earth Norway has joined the efforts of its US allies. The aim is to protect the polar regions and their populations not only from potential accidents, but also from the customary commercial navigation. There are currently no laws protecting the environment or the communities, warned Kaltenstein. The activist said that he hopes this situation will soon change.

Photo: http://www.borealidad.com.ar