Environmental activists and representatives of South African fishing communities are touring Europe. The mission is to alert leaders and the public to the environmental risks of TotalEnergies’ planned gas extraction projects in South Africa. The French oil company has applied for a production licence for two gas blocks off South Africa’s southern coast.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
Environmental activists and representatives of South African fishing communities are touring Europe. The mission is to alert leaders and the public to the environmental risks of TotalEnergies’ planned gas extraction projects in South Africa. The French oil company has applied for a production licence for two gas blocks off South Africa’s southern coast.
TotalEnergies has a new fossil fuel extraction project in South Africa. On 5 September 2022, the oil company applied for a licence to develop two gas blocks off the southern coast of South Africa. The investment could amount to $3 billion for reserves estimated at over one billion barrels.
The project is supported by the South African government, which sees it as an opportunity to diversify its national electricity mix based on coal. A fuel that is more polluting than oil and which is responsible for 80% of South Africa’s current electricity production. « Our transition will be sustainable if we access the oil and gas on our shores. No one complains when we import gas from Mozambique, but when we announce that Shell, for example, is operating, everyone jumps up and down, » says Gwede Mantashe, South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy.
Environmental risks
The South African government’s arguments in support of TotalEnergies’ gas project are not unanimous. Environmental activists and fishing communities see it as a threat to biodiversity and their livelihoods. The two gas blocks in question are located in Mossel Bay, in the south of the country, on the east coast. An area of high biodiversity that attracts whales and thousands of tourists every year.
« My family has been fishing for decades, and now the climate crisis is getting worse because of companies like Total or governments like South Africa’s, so my business may be coming to an end with my generation, » laments Christian Adams.
The South African artisanal fisherman has joined activists from the marine conservation group Bloom and the South African organisation Green Connection on a tour of Europe. The activists’ mission is to alert policymakers and the public to the environmental risks of TotalEnergies’ planned gas extraction projects in the Rainbow Nation. « Total is trying to get a production licence, which would mean wells and potentially leaks. Now, if we all stand up to it, we believe we can stop it, » hopes Liziwe McDaid, Green Connection’s strategic manager.
TotalEnergies’ assurances
In a memo issued on 22 November 2022 in response to the accusations by Bloom and Green Connection, TotalEnergies promised to conduct an environmental and societal impact assessment (ESIA) of its fossil fuel extraction project in South Africa.
« In addition, I would like to stress that TotalEnergies EP South Africa has already voluntarily reduced the scope of the licence application by excluding the area currently classified by the South African authorities as a marine protected area, » said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.
Fanta Mabo
The Bloom association for the protection of the oceans and the South African non-governmental organization (NGO) The Green Connection launched a campaign in Paris on Monday 17 October 2022 against a major gas project by TotalEnergies. According to the two conservation organizations, this project would threaten biodiversity.
TotalEnergies, a French oil company, is preparing to drill at a depth of 1,700 meters to reach two major gas fields in the Brulpadda area, located 175 km off the South African coast. But for nature conservationists, this project will have an impact on marine life. The drilling will be carried out on the migration route of large cetaceans such as whales and orcas.
To obtain the cancellation of this project, the association Bloom for the protection of the oceans, and the South African non-governmental organization (NGO) The Green Connection, launched an international petition on October 17, 2022 in Paris, France. « They know that these are complicated waters with a risk of oil spills, » warns Swann Bommier, Bloom’s Advocacy and Campaigns Officer.
« It’s a spectacular place from a biodiversity point of view, which is on the migration route of whales and sperm whales. It is also a living environment for dolphins, leatherback turtles and seals », defends the president of Bloom, Claire Nouvian.
Reducing dependence on coal
TotalEnergies has already carried out exploration drilling, with a platform to determine the extent of the reserves. And on September 5, 2022, the group filed an application for a production license to exploit the two major gas deposits discovered, which may contain up to one billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Faced with challenges from environmental NGOs, the French company claims that this new project will benefit South Africa. According to the company, it will replace coal (which made up 73.2% of South Africa’s energy mix in 2018, according to official figures) with gas, which is less polluting. But this argument is dismissed out of hand by environmental advocates. « Gas is not a transitional energy, we must stop the greenwashing, » retorts the Green MEP Karima Delli.
According to the two protesting organizations, the South African authorities should decide on the exploitation license requested by TotalEnergies, at the end of a public inquiry scheduled until January 20, 2023.
Fanta Mabo
SOUTH AFRICA: Controversy over a new gas project by TotalEnergies
The Bloom association for the protection of the oceans and the South African non-governmental organization (NGO) The Green Connection launched a campaign in Paris on Monday 17 October 2022 against a major gas project by TotalEnergies. According to the two conservation organizations, this project would threaten biodiversity.
La compagnie pétrolière française TotalEnergies et la Compagnie des bois du Gabon (CBG) s’associent pour développer un modèle novateur de gestion forestière. Ce procédé combine l’exploitation durable, la conservation de la biodiversité et le stockage du dioxyde de carbone à long terme.
Le géant français TotalEnergies devient le premier actionnaire de la Compagnie des bois du Gabon (CBG) après avoir acquis 49% de son capital auprès de Criterio Africa Partners. La CBG est une entité importante du secteur forestier gabonais, « reconnu pour sa gestion responsable et durable de 600 000 hectares de forêts, certifiée selon les meilleurs standards internationaux du Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), ainsi que pour sa contribution à la protection de la biodiversité. », indique le groupe pétrolier français.
Selon TotalEnergies, son entrée au sein du capital de la CBG se traduira par le développement d’un nouveau modèle de gestion forestière associant la production durable de bois, la préservation de la biodiversité et la séquestration du dioxyde de carbone. « Nous sommes par ailleurs particulièrement heureux, au Gabon, d’étendre notre activité à la gestion forestière raisonnée et durable, après plus de 90 ans d’investissements et d’activités économiques dans l’exploitation des ressources d’hydrocarbures du pays. », se réjouit Nicolas Terraz, président Exploration et Production chez TotalEnergies.
Employant plus de 100 000 personnes dans 120 pays avec un chiffre d’affaire de plus de 184,7 milliards de dollars américains en 2021, TotalEnergies collabore avec de nombreux partenaires locaux à travers le monde afin de développer et de conserver des puits naturels de carbone, tout en contribuant à la préservation de leur biodiversité.
Dans le cadre de son ambition climat, la compagnie pétrolière projette d’investir 100 millions de dollars par an afin de se constituer un portefeuille de projets capable de générer au moins 5 millions de tonnes de CO2 de crédits carbone par an d’ici à 2030. Ces crédits carbones seront utilisés après 2030 pour la compensation des émissions de la compagnie.
Boris Ngounou
GABON : TotalEnergies et CBG lancent un nouveau modèle de gestion forestière
La compagnie pétrolière française TotalEnergies et la Compagnie des bois du Gabon (CBG) s’associent pour développer un modèle novateur de gestion forestière. Ce procédé combine l’exploitation durable, la conservation de la biodiversité et le stockage du dioxyde de carbone à long terme.