ONE of the fossil fuel giants behind the controversial Rosebank development is being investigated over human rights concerns in Palestine.
Norwegian state-owned Equinor is being probed by the Norwegian Consumer Authority over its relationship with Ithaca Energy, the two companies behind the Rosebank proposals, The Scotsman reports.
In January, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that the companies will need to reapply for environmental consents for the Rosebank project – for the first time taking into account the emissions caused from burning the fossil fuels contained within the field.
The Labour Government has previously vowed to end new North Sea oil and gas developments.
We revealed that Ithaca is majority-owned by the Delek Group, an Israeli fuel company that operates in the occupied West Bank and has been flagged by the United Nations for human rights concerns.
Delek Group is listed on the UN High Commissioner's database of companies conducting commercial activity in occupied Palestinian territory and also provides fuel to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) through its subsidiary, Delek Israel.
Equinor is being investigated by the Norwegian Consumer Authority for a potential breach of transparency law that requires Norwegian companies to ensure their business operations and relationships respect human rights and are in line with international guidelines.
The investigation follows a legal complaint by Greenpeace Norway, which argued Equinor failed to carry out proper due diligence assessments of its partner on the Rosebank field.
The Norwegian government has issued guidance to Norwegian companies “not to engage in business cooperation or trade that serves to perpetuate Israel's illegal presence in Palestine”.
The guidance adds: “Such trade and business cooperation may be associated with serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and could in certain cases be considered activity that enables violations of these rights to continue.”
Tessa Khan, executive director of campaign group Uplift – one of the groups behind the legal challenge against Rosebank – said: “It’s entirely right that Equinor’s relationship with Ithaca and Delek is now under investigation. Norway’s hypocrisy over Rosebank is impossible to ignore.
“Equinor must now follow Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, as well as the country’s largest pension fund, both of which have long since divested from the firm, and end its partnership with Ithaca.”
An Equinor spokesperson said: “UK authorities decide what companies are allowed to operate on the UK Continental Shelf.
“Equinor has no influence over the UK approval process or over who buys or sells shares in a company listed on the stock exchange. We are looking forward to the consumer authority’s process.”
Ithaca did not respond to The Scotsman’s requests for comment.
