(Johannesburg) A shock wave every ten seconds in the ocean: a project by the giant Shell to search for oil and gas off one of the most beautiful coasts of South Africa, was suspended Tuesday by justice, a unprecedented victory for environmental activists.
Open to the Indian Ocean in the east of the country, the “Wild Coast”, with its spectacular wild landscapes, stretches over some 300 km and has several nature reserves and marine protected areas.
It is there, over an area of over 6000 km2, that the energy giant had decided to launch a new seismic exploration project. Environmental activists, fishermen and locals opposed it, saying it poses a threat to marine life.
Hundreds of ocean defenders and nature lovers demonstrated in December on several beaches across the country and blocked Shell gas stations, also calling for a boycott.
Earlier this month, the country’s justice system rejected a first appeal by environmental activists. But the South African Minister of Energy had defended the project, accusing his critics of blocking the economic investments the country needs.
This time, in a new appeal involving the community living in this hitherto unspoiled corner of nature, justice has ruled in favor of environmental defenders. The Grahamstown court in the Eastern Cape province (south-east) “banned the Anglo-Dutch giant from undertaking seismic prospecting”, according to the judgment, which AFP has obtained a copy of.
“We respect the court ruling and have put the study on hold while we review the judgment,” a Shell spokesperson said.
“Huge victory”
Offshore fossil fuel prospecting uses the analysis of the propagation of seismic waves to determine the geological structure of soils likely to contain hydrocarbons. The shock waves are sent by boats equipped with air cannons.
“Studies of this nature have been carried out for more than 50 years, with more than 15 years of in-depth scientific research,” argued the spokesperson for Shell.
“South Africa is heavily dependent on imports for a large part of its energy needs. If viable resources were discovered at sea, it could significantly contribute to the country’s energy security, ”he argued.
According to environmentalists, these detonations risk disrupting the behavior of fauna, its diet, its reproduction as well as migrations, especially that of whales, most marine animals relying on hearing.
“It’s a huge victory,” said Katherine Robinson, from the NGO Natural Justice, which was a civil party in the first legal action against the project.
“If we are to fight climate change, we must resist the exploitation of oil and gas in South Africa and across the continent, even though the lobbies are incredibly strong,” she insisted.
Shell’s project was to run for five months without interruption. The research involved sending a powerful shock wave every ten seconds, 24 hours a day.
Shell had assured to take all precautions to “avoid or minimize the impact on fish, marine mammals and other wildlife”, in the research area located more than 20 km from the coast in deep waters of 700 to 3000 meters .