Words by Smiley Team
Thanks to a new court ruling, Shell will be forced to cease seismic testing that endangers local wildlife and to revise how it conducts oil exploration along the eastern Wild Coast of South Africa.
The decision is based primarily on the company’s failure to consult local indigenous peoples who have a spiritual connection to the sea and who have fished at a small scale in these waters for many years.
“The voices of the voiceless have been heard,” said Sinegugu Zukulu, a campaigner for Sustaining the Wild Coast. “The voices of the directly affected people have at last been heard, and the constitutional rights of indigenous people have been upheld."
The decision also comes as great news for marine wildlife, including dolphins, whales and seals, which inhabit the ocean running between South Africa and Madagascar.
[Read more positive news about initiatives driving positive change for life below water]
Shell’s seismic testing in the waters involved blasting soundwaves through the otherwise relatively untouched natural habitat. These tests used to locate oil and gas stores, severely impede marine animals’ ability to communicate, navigate, eat and therefore, survive.
For whales especially, the South African coastline is integral to their survival, providing vital breeding grounds.
The court ruling does not prevent Shell from drilling for fossil fuels in the area altogether, but requires the company to adhere to stricter environmental regulations that protect the fragile ecology of the local coastline.
It follows an unsuccessful legal challenge filed by environmental groups calling for Shell to halt seismic testing on the grounds that it would cause irreparable damage to the environment, without the additional argument that it would harm local people and their culture.
To support lawyers achieve more breakthroughs for indigenous peoples and nature, support campaign group Sustaining the Wild Coast.
