Following a meeting with Petroleum Agency SA (PASA) on Thursday 29 September 2022, The Green Connection says it anticipates that it will receive the project-specific oil spill contingency plan (OSCP) by Wednesday 5 October 2022. The eco-justice organisation says, “In our view, such a plan should be in the hands of all interested and affected persons, before the drilling starts.”
The Green Connection had previously written to Azinam/Eco Atlantic to request a copy of the OSCP. Azinam/Eco-Atlantic’s lawyers then advised that the organisation could get the OSCP but only on condition that it agrees not share it with anyone, which The Green Connection refused, since this is information that it believes should be in the public arena.
The Green Connection’s Strategic Lead Liziwe McDaid says, “In our meeting, it seemed that PASA recognises the need for a publicly available version of the OSCP. With the Island Innovator setting up to drill in the next days, we hope to receive a well thought-out, clear, and comprehensive plan, which is not unnecessarily redacted.”
The Green Connection’s Community Outreach Coordinator Neville van Rooy says that a projectspecific OSCP, in respect of Azinam’s proposed exploration drilling, is a central mitigation measure that was proposed in the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for blow-outs. He says, “The report also acknowledges that the greatest potential risk associated with oil and gas exploration are oil spills and well blowouts, which could have a devastating impact on the oceans and coasts and could directly affect the welfare and livelihoods of coastal communities and small-scale fishers.”
Following a 3-day national small-scale fisher workshop – hosted by The Green Connection from 26-28 September in Saldanha Bay – Walter Steenkamp, a veteran small-scale fisher from Port Nolloth and Chairperson of Coastal Links Northern Cape says, “The information from this workshop has been very helpful, particularly since many in our communities are not informed about what is happening or planned for our areas. These kinds of platforms help ensure that people are adequately informed about the projects that are proposed and are able to monitor the implementation of mitigation measures, like Azinam’s plans to drill our ocean without us being aware of the OSCP. It was especially valuable for us to engage with small-scale fishers from all four coastal provinces because there is strength in numbers. Together, we have a better chance of protecting our oceans, which is important not only for coastal communities, but for all South Africans.”
BENDING OVER BACKWARDS, DMRE GIVES KARPOWERSHIPS ANOTHER BREAK
30 September 2021 was supposed to be the commercial close – a date set by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) – for bidders in the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (RMI4P).
TOSACO EIA MET WITH PUSHBACK FROM CIVIL SOCIETY, TO PROTECT THE OCEAN AND SMALL-SCALE FISHER LIVELIHOODS
This week, The Green Connection submitted its comments critiquing several aspects of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, particularly the lack of procedural fairness, as well as the conclusions reached – notwithstanding information gaps and scientific uncertainty – that should form part Tosaco Energy’s request to undertake various activities in Block 1, off the West Coast.
RECENTLY GRADUATED GREEN CONNECTORS, EQUIPPED FOR THE POLLS AND READY TO WEIGH-IN ON COP26
Following their recent graduation from The Green Connection’s Legacy Champions Programme, these newly empowered Green Connectors say they feel equipped with the necessary advocacy skills to make positive changes in their communities, starting with their vote in the local elections (1 November) and weighing in on the discussions around COP26 (which starts on 31 October) – as part of their efforts to oppose oil and gas developments in the country and offshore.
GREEN CONNECTION’S ‘FUNERAL FOR THE CLIMATE’ (AFRICAN ENERGY WEEK) AND COMMENT ON YESTERDAY’S BUDGET SPEECH
This week (10 November 2021), we joined other environmental defenders in Cape Town to peacefully demonstrate outside the African Energy Week #AEW2021 conference venue demanding an end to fossil fuels and the immediate pivot toward the just transition to a renewable energy future.
CLOSE TO 200 PEOPLE RISE AT CRACK OF DAWN TO PROTEST THE ARRIVAL OF SHELL’S SEISMIC MONSTER, AMAZON WARRIOR
On Sunday morning, (21 November 2021), before the crack of dawn, nearly 200 concerned environmental defenders took to the Waterfront to get a glimpse of Shell’s seismic testing vessel, Amazon Warrior, as it made its way into Cape Town harbour. The vessel travelled down the West coast of Africa, on its way to the Wild Coast, to conduct seismic surveys for an estimated five (5) months.
ENVIRONMENTALISTS DOUBLE-UP ON EFFORTS TO OPPOSE UPCOMING AND FURTHER SEISMIC TESTING IN SOUTH AFRICA’S OCEANS
As the groundswell of opposition against Shell’s upcoming 3D seismic survey off the Transkei builds, the Green Connection – an ecojustice NGO that supports small-scale fishers in advocating for their livelihoods – reacted with astonishment to a press statement issued by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 9 December 2021.