First ruling in environmental trial forces Shell to compensate communities affected by spills from firm’s damaged pipelines
The first judgment in what lawyers have said could be one of the world’s largest ever environmental trials has ruled that Shell may have to compensate some communities for oil spills from their pipelines caused by criminals in the heavily polluted Niger delta.
The ruling at London’s high court, following interpretations of Nigerian law by two retired Nigerian judges, may limit damages that Shell is expected to have to pay Niger delta villages devastated by two massive oil spills in 2008 and 2009, according to the company.