Following this week’s announcement by Royal Dutch Shell to end Arctic exploration for the foreseeable future, environmental groups are again pushing for a permanent ban.
Shell’s announcement came after an exploratory well found oil but not enough that could justify commercial production.
Since the beginning of the process to drill in the Arctic, environmental groups have argued that a spill in the ice choked waters of the Chuckchi and Bearing Seas would not be able to be cleaned up efficiently.
In turn, any oil spill in that area would damage the populations of polar bears, walrus, and other Arctic marine mammals.
Greenpeace spokeswoman Cassady Sharp says protests over the summer probably played a role in Shell’s decision.
Miyoko Sakashita of the Center for Biological Diversity says any Arctic Ocean drilling is wrong if the country wants to address climate change.
Despite environmentalists claims, Shell always maintained that adequate spill response plans were in place.