Shell Goes After Greenpeace With London Lawsuit Seeking Millions

Climate activist Greenpeace International says it's staring down one of the biggest legal threats in its 50-year history — a lawsuit from British oil giant Shell that it says could silence its ability to protest.

Greenpeace said in a statement that the action demands that activists "stop protests at its infrastructure at sea or in port anywhere in the world, forever, or face an $8.6m damages claim and an injunction."

Shell's lawsuit, filed in London's High Court,  also seeks $2.1 million against the group for occupying a moving oil platform at sea.

In its 2020 financial statement, Greenpeace reported $35.1 million in donations, grants and other income and $7 million in net assets.

"The claim is one of the biggest legal threats against the Greenpeace network’s ability to campaign in its more than 50-year history," the group said. 

Six Greenpeace activists boarded Shell's Penguins floating production storage and offloading unit for 13 days between Jan. 31 and Feb. 12 as it traveled as far as Norway, the group says. During that time, Shell announced nearly $40 billion in 2022 profits, a record sum that Greenpeace and other groups have lamented in other protests.

"Activists were calling on the company to stop drilling for new oil and gas, and instead take responsibility for causing climate breakdown," Greenpeace said in its statement.

A Shell spokesperson told Reuters that boarding a moving vessel was "unlawful and extremely dangerous."

"The right to protest is fundamental and we respect it absolutely. But it must be done safely and lawfully," the spokesperson said.

Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said Shell CEO Wael Sawan is "trying to crush Greenpeace’s ability to campaign, and in doing so, seeking to silence legitimate demands for climate justice and payment for loss and damage."