Virunga Congo’s Oil Saga: A story of shadowy deals, environmental burden and civil society protest

Theodore Trefon noted in 2016 that “Oil has become big business in the DRC and the subject of major deal making – more often than not by dubious partners. It is shrouded in secrecy and controlled by the presidency” (1). The oil and gas sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ranked 84th (among 89… Read More

Conservation and Oil in Protected Areas: Part I The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

For the past years, we have fought for the protection of Virunga National Park and against oil exploration and exploitation in Africa’s oldest National park. We engaged in this battle not only because we wanted to safeguard one of its most iconic species, the mountain gorilla, but also because we believe that he Greater Virunga… Read More

Save Virunga supports IGEN-EA Vision for a Sustainable and Inclusive Economy for Generations to Come!

Today, May 21, 2021, a new network of Ugandans and East Africans from across civil society and the private sector have united to promote a new vision for a green East African economy and advocate for strategic investments across a diversity of sustainable, inclusive industries. Named the Inclusive Green Economy Network-East Africa (IGEN-EA), the network… Read More

Stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline: For People, For Nature, For Climate

Over 260 organisations call on banks not to finance Total’s East African Crude Oil Pipeline With a final investment decision nearing, African and International organisations warn banks against joining $2.5 billion loan for a “manifestly irresponsible” project On the 1st of March 2021, 263 community and not-for-profit organisations from around the world urged the CEOs… Read More

Shell Nigeria Liable for Oil Spills in Nigeria, is that Total’s fate in Uganda Murchison Falls?

A Dutch appeals court has ruled that the Nigerian branch of oil giant Shell is responsible for damage caused by leaks in the Niger Delta. The court ordered Shell Nigeria to pay compensation to Nigerian farmers, while the subsidiary and its Anglo-Dutch parent company were told to install equipment to prevent future damage. A group… Read More

Ugandan Lawmakers Reject Plan for Murchison Falls Hydropower Dam, Next Save Upemba!

Activists praise decision to reject energy ministry’s proposal to dam the world-famous waterfall Conservationists in Uganda have hailed a bipartisan decision to reject the government’s plan to construct a hydro-power dam at the country’s biggest tourist attraction. Lawmakers unanimously adopted a report by the 28 member parliamentary committee on environment on Thursday, rejecting the Ministry of Energy… Read More

#SaveMurchisonFalls: Avoiding Total disaster in Africa

On 30 July, oil giant Total wrote off $8bn of its fossil fuel reserves, admitting they were stranded assets that would never be used due to weak oil demand and the impact these assets would have on the climate. By Mohamed Adow Founding Director of Power Shift Africa, a climate and energy think tank, based… Read More

Save Murchison: A Major Oil Pipeline Project Strikes Deep at the Heart of Africa

Despite the global plunge in oil prices, a major pipeline that would carry oil 900 miles across East Africa is moving ahead. International experts warn that the $20 billion project will displace thousands of small farmers and put key wildlife habitat and coastal waters at risk. BY FRED PEARCE • MAY 21, 2020 Imagine a tropical version of… Read More

Don’t Finance the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline! Protect Murchison Falls National Park

Standard Bank, Africa’s biggest lender, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) of Japan are reportedly about to finance a 1,443-kilometer crude oil pipeline through Uganda and Tanzania. If built, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) would be the longest heated crude oil pipeline in the world and is expected to cause large-scale displacement of… Read More

Murchison Falls National Park: An Oil Project in a Protected Natural Area, High Risks of Environmental Violations

Total is present in Uganda through its wholly owned subsidiary Total Exploration & Production Uganda B.V (hereinafter Total Uganda), developing an oil project called “Tilenga” on the shores of Lake Albert. Total owns 54.9% of the project and is its operator. Its partners are the Chinese oil company CNOOC, with a 33.33% stake and Britain-based Tullow… Read More

Alert ‘Protected’ Areas Are Under Threat: Upemba, Virunga, Murchison, Salonga…

A Third of the World’s ‘Protected’ Areas Are Under Threat Six million square kilometers are under intense pressure from human activity. The world map is peppered with patches of protected land, ostensibly ringed by clear borders that seem to safely shield our few remaining wild areas from human encroachment. But the reality on the ground… Read More

From Virunga To Uganda: Put on Your Boots, Save Murchison Falls!

There is a revived public outcry following media reports that government has proceeded with plans to allow the construction of a hydropower dam near one of Uganda‘s most spectacular natural attractions Murchison Falls. Earlier with year stakeholders in the tourism sector launch the protest calling on government to cancel plans for the dam project. They… Read More