In May, a Dutch court ruled that oil giant Shell must cut its CO2 emissions by 45% from 2019 levels. The ruling sent shock waves around the world; it was the first time a company had been legally obliged to align its climate action policies with those of the Paris Accord, according to Friends of the Earth.
The environmental group had brought the case on behalf of six other bodies and 17,000 Dutch citizens. At the time Shell said it would appeal against what it called a “disappointing ruling”.
What is disappointing for us is that this company seems to have not learnt anything from this episode, given its behaviour elsewhere in the world.
Environmental groups here at home are aghast at plans by Shell, with the support of the department of energy & mineral resources, to embark on a major seismic survey off the coast between Morgans Bay and Port St Johns.
The concern is that the exercise will place marine life in grave danger. All of this in search of oil and gas reserves.
The concern is that the exercise will place marine life in grave danger. All of this in search of oil and gas reserves
Blasting 220 decibels into waters rich with marine life, including fish, occasional whales and other seafood resources, is bad. Shell is making use of an existing exploration licence granted in 2013 by the department of energy.
We find it curious that a government department would continue to endorse this environmentally disastrous exploration, which, if successful, will uncover more fossil fuels. Barbara Creecy, the minister of forestry, fisheries & the environment, has just come back from a successful COP26 in Glasgow, where SA made commitments to gradually dump fossil fuels.
The question to ask the government is, does the right hand know what the left hand is doing?
Express Petroleum, a leading Eastern Cape fuel supplier, is de-branding 35 of its stations from Shell as a form of protest. The government must reconsider its position and call the oil giant to order. Our undersea resources are too precious for reckless profit games.
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