<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/20/new-oilfield-in-african-wilderness-threatens-lives-of-130000-elephants>
"Tens of thousands of African elephants are under threat from plans for a
massive new oilfield in one of the continent’s last great wildernesses, experts
have warned.
Campaigners and conservationists fear the proposed oilfield stretching across
Namibia and Botswana would devastate regional ecosystems and wildlife as well
as local communities.
The plans are the latest threat to elephants in the region, hundreds of which
have died mysteriously in the past year. Scientists are trying to find the
cause of the deaths but believe they may be linked to a rising amount of toxic
algae – caused by global heating – in their waterholes.
“It is incomprehensible that ReconAfrica’s hunt for fossil fuels is going
ahead,” said Rosemary Alles from Global March for Rhinos and Elephants. “Fewer
than 450,000 elephants survive in Africa, down from millions not so long ago:
130,000 of these have established this region as a home range, and
ReconAfrica’s misbegotten plans place them at direct risk.” ReconAfrica, a
Canadian oil and gas company, listed on stock exchanges in Canada, the US and
Germany, has leased more than 34,000sq km of land in the Kavango Basin. Seismic
exploratory work has begun, and experts say the new oil field could be one of
the biggest of recent years. ReconAfrica estimates that the “potential oil
generated” could be between 60 billion and 120 billion barrels – and be worth
billions of dollars to the regional economy."
Via Glyn Moody, who wrote "oil companies are such contemptible scum"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
