Every day, the correspondents’ club describes how the same current event is illustrated in two countries.
In Canada, the government has just authorized a call for tenders for new oil exploration permits off the northeast coast. More than 120,000 km2 marine environment would be covered by oil fields. In the same region, the “Bay Nord” oil megaproject could generate several tens of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases in an area where bottom fishing is prohibited.
>>> Climate: Canada approves a major controversial offshore oil project
According to the Canadian government, these oil drilling projects do not go against the “fight against global warming” led by the country. The scientific community is not of this opinion and does not understand that the government is committed to protecting 30% of marine areas by 2030 by prohibiting fishing while authorizing, on the contrary, the exploitation of oil. and its impact on the environment.
In Senegal the largest offshore gas project will start at the end of the year
In the Atlantic Ocean on the border between Senegal and Mauritania, the so-called “Grande Tortue Ahmeyim” (GTA) offshore project is expected to start exploiting mainly liquefied natural gas and some oil at the end of 2023. This project is expected to produce two and a half million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year from the last quarter of 2023 and 100,000 barrels of oil per day with revenues estimated at 1.350 billion euros between 2023 and 2025.
>>> The huge gas field of the GTA places Senegal and Mauritania among the major African gas producers
The end of Russian gas imports in Europe is a promise of profits in the eyes of the Senegalese, in particular thanks to lower delivery costs, four to five days against more than twelve days from the United States or Canada. Several countries have already expressed their interest such as Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal or the Czech Republic with prices sometimes three times higher than those originally expected. Jobs, electrification, industrialization, investment in education or health. The expectations of the populations are then high with the installation of these future polluting fossil industries.
120 km off the city of Saint-Louis in northern Senegal, the GTA project will be located on one of the largest coral reefs in the world where sharks, whales and turtles circulate. However, this city is very dependent on artisanal fishing. Offshore infrastructure reduces the fishing area. Fishermen are therefore asking for financial compensation.