{"id":94090,"date":"2022-04-21T12:09:42","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T06:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.icsf.net\/?post_type=samudra&p=94090"},"modified":"2022-04-21T12:34:24","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T07:04:24","slug":"a-seismic-shift","status":"publish","type":"samudra","link":"https:\/\/www.icsf.net\/samudra\/a-seismic-shift\/","title":{"rendered":"A Seismic Shift"},"content":{"rendered":"
A coalition of fishing communities, activists and lawyers has come together to keep the coasts and oceans of South Africa free of the destructive Blue Economy agenda<\/strong><\/p>\n This article is by Jackie Sunde<\/strong> (jackiesunde25@gmail.com), Senior Researcher, One Ocean Hub, Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Cape Town, and member of the Coastal Justice Network in South Africa<\/p>\n To Hell with Shell!\u201d This was the rallying call of small-scale fishing communities and indigenous coastal communities in South Africa as they mobilized support for their struggle against illegal oil and gas exploration over the past few months.<\/p>\n In November 2021, the indigenous amaXhosa communities and small-scale fishers living along the eastern seaboard of South Africa became aware that the international petroleum giant Shell and its local business partner, Impact Africa, intended to commence seismic blasting of a large section of the Indian Ocean. Living on their ancestral lands along a beautiful coastline, these communities have fished sustainably and cared for their natural resources since time immemorial.<\/p>\n The identities and culture of the coastal amaXhosa are closely entwined with this ocean. It is a sacred place, the great home of their ancestors; it represents the material basis of their livelihoods; and is a source of spiritual healing and well-being. Yet, unbeknown to them, under the auspices of the South African version of the \u2018Blue Economy\u2019\u2014known locally as \u2018Operation Phakisa\u2019, meaning \u2018hurry up\u2019 in one of the indigenous languages\u2014the national government has allocated exploration permits in 98 per cent of the country\u2019s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This application for an exploration permit by Impact Africa in 2013, subsequently renewed twice, is just one of many applications granted with little or no public participation and consultation.<\/p>\n … the national government has allocated exploration permits in 98 per cent of the country\u2019s exclusive economic zone…<\/strong><\/p>\n As is the case in many countries, small-scale fishing communities in South Africa have been concerned about how the Blue Economy agenda is being implemented. In the past decade, since the Rio+20 Development Conference, the country has prioritized the economic exploitation of the ocean, fast-tracking oil and gas exploration, industrial aquaculture, marine shipping and transport. Plans for the building of new ports, the expansion of existing harbours and the building of sub-sea gas pipelines have been approved, while tenders for floating gas platforms and powerships are currently being considered.<\/p>\n Simultaneously, there has been an explosion of applications for off- and on-shore prospecting for heavy minerals. Large tracts of the coastline on the western seaboard are already wall-to-wall with mining operations that leave little, if any, space for the small-scale fisheries sector to access this coast. Purportedly to balance this economic exploitation with environmental protection, the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment (DFFE) adopted a Marine Spatial Planning Act, which came into effect in 2021. However, this Act is yet to be implemented. In this policy gap, the DFFE has expanded the coverage of marine protected areas, while the Department of Minerals and Energy is awarding permits for offshore and coastal prospecting and mining at a fast pace.<\/p>\n Operation Phakisa has enabled the cutting of policy red tape and the fast-tracking of environmental authorizations. This contradicts the country\u2019s climate change and carbon emissions policy commitments, its environmental practices and the principles of equality and social justice underpinning the Bill of Rights in the Constitution.<\/p>\n
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