Battling an oil company on its home turf, 73 Colombian farmers are bringing suit against British Petroleum (BP) in the United Kingdom’s High Court, arguing that the company’s construction of a pipeline across their lands caused widespread environmental damage. The farmers, who seek 18 million pounds (US$29 million) in compensation, say that Equión Energía—formerly BP Exploration (Colombia)—was negligent in its construction of the 836-kilometer (520-mile) Ocensa pipeline in the mid-1990s. By cutting corners on hilly terrain, the company caused erosion of topsoil and build-up of sediment in water channels, reducing the land’s fertility, polluting water supplies and triggering crop failures, they contend. “BP knew the risks, and knew how to avoid them, but chose to run these risks... [Log in to read more]