By Mark Anderson
LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Greenpeace activists scaledEurope's tallest building in London on Thursday in a protestover plans by oil producer Royal Dutch Shell to carryout drilling in the Arctic circle.
The six women, who started their illegal climb in the earlyhours of the morning by climbing on the roof of London Bridgestation, at the base of the building, hope to unfurl scenicposters of the Arctic within view of all of Shell's three Londonoffices.
Ambulances waited below while the climbers posted live videoof their ascent to Greenpeace's website. They face thepossibility of being arrested after a gruelling 16-hour climb,Greenpeace spokeswoman Sara Ayech said.
"If we can get to the top of that skyscraper and do whatwe're planning then Shell's top executives will look out oftheir office windows and see the beauty of the Arctic toweringabove them," Victoria Henry, one of the climbers, said.
Greenpeace, which has long campaigned to seal off the Arcticfrom drilling, said the activists were carrying a "huge work ofart" in their backpacks as they make their way up the buildingusing safety ropes.
The newly built Shard stands 310 metres (1,017 ft) above thesouth bank of the River Thames, making it the tallest buildingin Western Europe.
A spokesperson for Shell said: "Recognising the right ofindividuals to express their point of view, we only ask thatthey do so with their safety and the safety of others in mind."
Shell canceled its 2013 Arctic offshore drill season afternumerous troubles there last year. But it plans to send ships tostudy sites around oil prospects in the Chukchi and Beaufortseas, according to permit applications.
The Arctic may still hold 13 percent of the world'sundiscovered oil and 30 percent of its gas.
"Shell is leading the oil companies' drive into the Arctic,investing billions in its Alaskan and Russian drillingprogrammes," Greenpeace said in a statement.