While Europe faces gas shortages, Friends of the Earth International [FoEI] is putting the Nigerian government under pressure to ensure that oil companies stop flaring Nigerian gas. Following a December 31, 2008 deadline to end harmful gas flaring...[FoEI] started today a letter writing campaign...Shell is the largest producer of gas and oil in Nigeria...The cheapest way to deal with the gas is also the most environmentally destructive way: burning it. This practice costs the African country about US$2.5 billion annually, while more than 66% of the population is estimated to live in poverty. “Major oil companies are flaring gas in the oil-rich Niger Delta despite the fact that a Nigerian judge stated that flaring is illegal. Led by oil giant Shell...” said [FoEI]...[T]o draw attention to Shell's dirty track record, Friends of the Earth International decided to leave the IUCN [International Union for Conservation of Nature]...