South Africa: Govt' rejects environmental rights defenders' bid to stop TotalEnergies from offshore drilling
" South Africa gives go-ahead for TotalEnergies offshore drilling" 2 October 2023
South Africa's environment ministry has given the go-ahead for TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) to drill offshore for natural gas and oil, after rejecting an appeal from more than a dozen individuals and lobby groups, a document seen by Reuters showed. The appeal to stop TotalEnergies from drilling in Block 5/6/7 off the Cape coast was the latest in a series of challenges seeking to halt energy companies exploring for new offshore discoveries at the foot of Africa. It sought to persuade environment minister Barbara Creecy to set aside the environmental authorisation granted to the French energy company by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in April, on grounds ranging from marine noise and oil spills to climate change and insufficient public consultation.
But Creecy, sitting as the appellate authority, dismissed their concerns in a 144-page ruling seen by Reuters.