The Green Connection welcomes TotalEnergies EP South Africa’s (TotalEnergies) withdrawal of its environmental authorisation (EA) application for Block 11B/12B but warns that the fight to protect South Africa’s oceans is far from over. While this may seem like a victory, the eco-justice organisation says the risks remain as Total Energies’ former partner Main Street 1549 (Pty) Limited has taken over as operator of the Block, while TotalEnergies continues pushing for offshore drilling off the West Coast.

The Green Connection’s Strategic Lead, Liziwe McDaid says that since Total Energies has handed over operatorship of Block 11B/12B to Main Street, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process for oil and gas production activities must restart from scratch– and which The Green Connection is geared up to oppose. She says, “Because, if TotalEnergies, with all its financial and technical resources, concluded that the two gas discoveries (Brulpadda and Luiperd) could not be turned into a commercial development as it appeared too challenging to economically develop and monetize these gas discoveries for the South African market, then it is likely that Main Street could face the same problems. There are also serious risks associated with drilling in one of the world’s fastest and most treacherous ocean currents, the Agulhas Current.”

McDaid says that The Green Connection is also concerned about the climate change implications of South Africa’s ongoing and accelerated offshore fossil fuels exploration projects. The eco-justice organisation has long opposed government decisions allowing offshore oil and gas exploration, warning of the risks to marine life, small-scale fishers, and coastal communities.