Environmental lobby groups welcome ruling in Shell seismic survey

Environmental lobby groups on Thursday welcomed a decision by the High Court in Makhanda to dismiss an application for leave to appeal a ruling, which halted a seismic survey off the wild coast.

The application was brought by oil giant Shell and the Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.

The same court granted an interim interdict in December.

Communities in the region took legal action, claiming they were not consulted.

“Solidarity and power to the communities in the Wild Coast and the attorneys who successfully defended the interdict and who continue to defend climate justice. The judgment was really hopeful, and it sends a strong message to other companies attempting to steam ahead while their compliance with environmental laws are under scrutiny,” said Natural Justice’s Katherine Robinson.

Seismic surveys involve the use of airguns that direct sound pulses into the water to map out the sea bed and possibly detect oil and gas resources.

-EWN

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