SAVE VIRUNGA
Stop Oil Exploration in Africa's Oldest National Park
Colonialism is often misunderstood or narrowly defined. Some mistakenly confine it to either a geographic area or an era. Others, convinced that colonialism is outmoded and passé, view it a system no longer operative in Africa and generally in the world. Still others narrow it to a system imposed by and serving only inhabitants and… Read More
“One of the major tenets behind the creation of a national park, or other protected area, is that it will not fade, but remain in essence beyond the pressures of human society, enjoyed by current generations while being preserved for future ones. The protected area is a gift, in a way, handed from one wise… Read More
What is happening to Murchison Falls Protected Area, Uganda’s largest, oldest, and most visited protected area? And how can Virunga, Queen Elizabeth and so many other endangered protected and high biodiversity areas survive oil and infrastructure expansion in the region? Like if it was note enough to have oil drilling in this protected area now… Read More
During the East African petroleum and exhibition conference held on May 8, 2019 in Mombasa, the minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Irene Muloni, announced the second licensing open bidding of five oil blocks to further Uganda’s commercial interests in oil production. This also included two oil blocks of Ngagi and Turaco that had hitherto… Read More
The Albertine Graben is home to Virunga National Park in the Eastern DRC which is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site and accommodates 43% of Africa’s bird species, 27% of Africa’s mammals and more than 10% of its reptiles, amphibians, and plants in addition to several rare and endangered species that exist nowhere else… Read More
Last month, the Minister of Energy informed the public through a news briefing that on May 8, 2019, Uganda’s Ministry of Energy will launch the second competitive licencing round for oil blocks. The launch will take place in Kenya. . Some of the oil blocks that are set to be put up for licencing on Wednesday… Read More
Overinvestment in oil and gas creates risks for investors, regardless of whether the world is effective in tackling climate change. Either investors face assets being stranded as demand for fossil fuels falls in a transition to a low carbon economy, or the overinvestment contributes to excess emissions from fossil fuels, the failure to transition and… Read More
Two of the World’s Most Biodiverse Wildlife Parks are Now Open for Oil Drilling – Why You Should Care In late June 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) government voted to open up two of the country’s national parks to oil exploration. Because the decision will put wildlife at risk and pump high amounts… Read More
The Synergy of Ecologists for Peace and Development calls on DRC’s new president to protect the country’s national parks against oil exploitation projects and security threats. This platform, that brings together a dozen of environmental organisations from North Kivu, launched this call through an open letter addressed to President Felix Tshisekedi on Friday, January 25. Virunga… Read More
As we begin the new year of 2019, we, the member organizations of the Synergy of Ecologists for Peace and Development, regret to draw a mixed assessment for the conservation of Virunga National Park during the year 2018. Indeed, the good news is that with the combined efforts of local communities – governmental conservation institutions… Read More
Even though the planet is experiencing a climate crisis, the oil industry is expanding to new frontiers, with the majority of such frontiers being mature forests or very sensitive areas. Currently the world’s oil reserves are 800 billion barrels. If these reserves are burned, more than 320 billion tons of additional co2 would be produced,… Read More
Below is Patrice Lumumba’s* Letter to his wife Pauline Lumumba in 1960 before he was assassinated. My beloved companion, I write you these words not knowing whether you will receive them, when you will receive them, and whether I will still be alive when you read them. Throughout my struggle for the independence of my country, I have never… Read More
SAVE VIRUNGA 