South African eco-justice activists joined the global movement Power Up for Climate Solutions to kick off a month (from 3 November to 9 December) of environmental and climate action in the lead up to COP28 outside Parliament on Friday. The Green Connection, African Climate Alliance, Extinction Rebellion, 350.org, and Project 90 by 2030 joined others around the world in a … [Read more...]
Greenpeace Africa joins global #EndFossilFuels mobilisation
On Friday, Greenpeace Africa volunteers in Johannesburg and Durban participated in activities as part of the global #EndFossilFuels day of mobilisation. Over 650 similar events are taking place in more than 60 countries worldwide. World leaders are gathering for the UN General Assembly and the UN Secretary General is convening a “no-nonsense” Climate Ambition Summit in New … [Read more...]
Marine spatial plan flawed because oil and water do not mix
While it is clear that South Africa is making little headway to resolve the electricity loadshedding crisis – which is where citizens want to see government putting its efforts and delivering results – there is, instead, a lot of movement on other energy projects, particularly for offshore oil and gas. This was one of the concerns raised by The Green Connection, last week (9 … [Read more...]
Searching for more fossil fuels is a costly waste of time
COP27, the international climate action negotiations, ran from 6 - 18 November 2022. In that time, fossil fuel companies released a stream of oil and gas application documents for public comment. "This is starting to feel like a stuck record. Dear decision-makers, we are in a climate crisis, a massive threat to food security! We must stop exploring for more offshore oil and … [Read more...]
Colonising climate justice and neocolonial appropriation
Gandhi is famously quoted as saying, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." A step in the progression that seems missing though, is how your opponents will try to appropriate your language and pretend that a win for them is a win for the cause. When it comes to questions of climate justice, anti-imperialism and decolonisation, … [Read more...]
Another vindication for small-scale fishers by the courts
“Civil society, traditional communities and small-scale fishers have once again been vindicated by the courts. Well done to our comrades for staying the course of this fight against Shell, to protect our oceans and the rights of those communities who will be affected.” That is the message from The Green Connection, an eco-justice organisation opposed to offshore oil and gas … [Read more...]
Seismic court ruling another win for small-scale fishers
On Monday after “incredibly tense” court arguments, the Western Cape High Court ruled that the ban – originally issued on 7 February – on Searcher’s seismic blasting of the west and south-west coast of South Africa, stays in place. Foreign companies Searcher Geodata UK Limited and Searcher Seismic (Australia) challenged the earlier interim order directing it to discontinue … [Read more...]
Dispelling Wild Coast seismic blasting misconceptions
Many of us remember being told by our elders when we were young to hold a shell to our ears to hear the ocean, no matter how far you were from a seashore. Later on one learns that it is the reverberant air moving inside the hard, curved inner surfaces of a shell’s cavity, which produces the coincidental, pleasant sound similar to waves on a shore. Interestingly the … [Read more...]
Joburg residents call for an end to fossil fuel investments
In anticipation of Standard Bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) vote today, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and a large contingent of concerned citizens gathered outside the bank’s Head Office in Johannesburg to demand that shareholders call for an end to fossil fuel investments. The environmental justice organisation also calls on shareholders of Total SE, which has its AGM this … [Read more...]
Clarity needed on safety of ‘plugged’ deep sea oil well
Following the announcement, last week, by oil and gas giant Total that it has “demobilised its Deepsea Stavanger drill rig along with all support vessels, after concluding its drilling activities on the exploration well Luiperd-1X in Block 11B/12B on 23 November 2020”, the Green Connection’s Neville Van Rooy says he is concerned about who will be held responsible for any … [Read more...]
U.S. companies publicly support climate action, privately fund deniers
Companies like Pepsi, DuPont, and Google might say that they support climate action, but in reality, they are funding lawmakers opposed to President Obama’s climate agenda, according to a Reuters report released Tuesday morning. Over the last year, more than 150 companies have signed on to the “American Business Act on Climate Pledge,” a commitment created by Obama to … [Read more...]
Shell moet antwoord oor hidrobreking – AfriForum
Die waghond vir burgerregte, AfriForum, is gekant teen en bekommerd oor die moontlike gevolge van skaliegasontginning in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie organisasie het ʼn brief aan RoyalDutch Shell en Shell (SA) gerig waarin die maatskappye uitgenooi is om met hulle in gesprek te tree oor verskeie vrae wat deur verteenwoordigers van gemeenskappe dwarsoor Suid-Afrika ingedien is, waarin … [Read more...]
Global shale gas moratoriums increase
“While our government is scrambling to produce a secret document on which this country may make a potentially irreversible decision on shale gas mining ‘fracking’, international sentiment is increasing against the technology. Fracking is banned, or under some form of moratorium or restriction in more than 140 places around the world.” These were the words of TKAG (Treasure … [Read more...]
