Cansa is worried hazardous substances & carcinogens could contaminate drinking water in the Karoo. The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) has launched an initiative which it hopes will force companies to be transparent, should fracking for shale gas become a reality in the Karoo. The association is worried hazardous substances and known carcinogens, which are … [Read more...]
Youth voices reject proposed crude oil pipeline
Thank you to each and every one of the hundreds of people who joined together for a march on Washington yesterday to ask the President to “Dec-line the Pipe-line”. And a special thanks to the 398 young people who put themselves on the line and were arrested in the XLDissent action. This exercise in peaceful dissent is what American leadership looks like. The marchers were … [Read more...]
Help protect the rainforests of Cameroon
“They may threaten and sue us, but the palm oil company is not going to stop our struggle for nature,” writes Nasako Besingi from Cameroon. The environmentalist will be on trial in March for defending rainforest land against Herakles Farms, a U.S.-based palm oil company. Please take a stand against Herakles Farms. Environmentalist Nasako Besingi and his organization SEFE … [Read more...]
My life for water
Why do lives have to be sacrificed before crucial human needs are addressed in this country? The water bubble finally burst when 4 people died in protest about poor water delivery. This propelled the truth about water onto public platforms. Do we really understand what it’s like to walk ten hours for one bucket of water? Up to the light comes the worm of corruption and … [Read more...]
Saving trees costing lives in Turkey
A friend of ours from Germany received this urgent message last night from her friend Anne who has lived in Turkey for some years now. Here is her plea: Something terrible is happening in Turkey. It all began with a peaceful demonstration against deforestation of 80-year-old trees in a park (Geziparki) located in Taksim Square, where the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is … [Read more...]
Calls for the ‘Monsantrocity’ to end
Ordinarily GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms, but on Saturday 25 March 2013, it stood for Get Monsanto Out! The excitement started early on Saturday morning, with Australia getting the international ball rolling with the first protests, followed soon after by South Africa. As the day progressed, country after country submitted their pictures and updates on the … [Read more...]
Transparency demands amid Fukushima commemoration
Earlier this week, Greenpeace Africa commemorated the 2nd anniversary of the Fukushima disaster with a call to the South African government to ensure transparency and accountability in the nuclear build process. Early on Monday morning, Greenpeace activists staged a silent protest on Johannesburg’s Empire Road. The activists, dressed in black with stickers across their lips … [Read more...]
Activists still in detention for peaceful Eskom protest
Last month, Greenpeace Africa, groundWork and Earthlife Africa took action against Eskom's reckless coal expansion at the utility's headquarters in Johannesburg. 14 activists were placed in police custody after the peaceful protest and taken to Sandton police station. According to police, Eskom has laid the following charges against the activists: trespass, intimidation, … [Read more...]
One round won for right to know what you’re eating
Consumers in South Africa have won a hard-earned victory with regard to the labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods. Yesterday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) published draft amendments to the regulations governing the labelling of GM food. According to the draft amendments, all locally produced and imported food containing 5% or more GM ingredients or … [Read more...]
Shock and disappointment at SA’s fracking plans
What so many of us have been dreading, is now set to happen. The moratorium on exploration for shale gas has been lifted. “We find it both extraordinary and irresponsible that our government continues to pursue fossil fuel energy when South Africa has the best of renewable energy (RE) resources in the world,” Bishop Geoff Davies (pictured) from SAFCEI stated on hearing the … [Read more...]
Japan to be nuclear-free by 2030
Greenpeace Africa commends the announcement by the Japanese government that they are committing to phase out nuclear energy by 2030 and increase renewable energy by 30% in the electricity mix. Japan now joins countries such as Germany and Switzerland in turning away from nuclear power. Greenpeace Africa urges the South African government to demonstrate similar leadership and … [Read more...]
Fracking plans need a unified voice now
Minister Shabangu’s announcement last Friday of the Department of Mineral Resource’s pro-fracking decision to cabinet ripped like wild fire through environmental circles the past week. If there is one issue that can unite all the different green role players in this country, I think it’s this one. The sensitive Karoo ecology is regarded as the heartland of the country by … [Read more...]
UN climate talks set to agree: do nothing
Members of the civil society have reacted angrily at the manner at which the latest round of UN climate talks in Bangkok ended and said it is apparent that the annual UN summit in Doha later this year would approve a plan to take no further action on climate change this decade. Coming after a series of devastating extreme weather events linked to climate change, such as … [Read more...]
