South African Activists Protest Oil Exploration

On Sunday, South African activists joined forces to protest Royal Dutch Shell’s plans to explore for oil along one of South Africa’s coastlines. 

On Friday, environmentalists lost a legal battle to prevent oil exploration, creating a need for activism from the public. Many did so for fear that the seismic blasting would severely affect the ecosystem and marine life.

Seismic blasting involves blasting the seafloor with high-powered air guns and measuring the echoes to figure out where oil may lie. It is a highly disruptive process that could go on for weeks or even months.

Seismic blasting is a huge concern for locals as it would likely disturb marine life and potentially have a negative effect on how the locals are able to live.

The coastline that Shell plans to explore is also considered to be a tourist attraction and a place for delicate ecosystems to thrive. Thus, this process is devastating to all who call the area home.

If allowed to continue these plans would also prevent South Africa from being able to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, causing a disastrous impact on a larger scale in the long run.

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