It is estimated only 100 such whales exist in the wild.
In a statement the conservation group said, “IUCN will conduct the review in response to widespread concern about the project’s environmental impact on populations of highly endangered western grey whales and related key elements of biodiversity.”
“The second phase of the Sakhalin 2 project has come under public scrutiny for its potential threat to the survival of western grey whales. The results of [our] study might affect the future of the project,” added the IUCN, whose members include both government and non-governmental organisations.
The IUCN confirmed the consortium developing the project, the Sakhalin Energy Investment Co, are cooperating with the study and have postponed part of the development until the completion of the review.
Sakhalin Energy is made up of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group and Japanese trading houses Mitsubishi Corp and Mitsui & Co. Sakhalin-2 consists of the development of two offshore platforms linked to the shore by pipelines with first gas slated for 2006.
