Animal rights group Peta has called on energy giant Shell to go vegan for a day on its North Sea platforms.

The organisation wants the supermajor to “switch to vegan meals” for Earth Day on April 22.

In a letter to CEO Ben van Beurden, Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said doing so would “offset some of the environmental damage done by drilling for oil”.

Peta said animal agriculture is “on the heels” of fossil fuels in terms of contributing to climate change and said the move would show that Shell is serious about tackling the problem.

Shell declined to comment.

According to a report produced in 2017 by not-for-profit organisation Carbon Disclosure Project, Shell placed among the ten heaviest-polluting companies in the world for greenhouse gas emissions.

Mimi Bekhechi, PETA Director of International Programmes, said: “Animal agriculture is right on the heels of burning fossil fuels when it comes to contributing to climate change.

“This Earth Day, PETA is calling on Shell to improve workers’ health, save animals’ lives, and slow down the destruction of the planet by switching to vegan meals on all of its offshore rigs.”