Text: Cleanoceanproject 2012
SAY NO TO ANOTHER DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL
Iballa Ruano Moreno collected oil at the beach of Majanicho (Pic: Cleanoceanproject).
On the black Friday, March 16th 2012, the Spanish Government has approved the proposal from the enterprise Repsol for oil prospecting in the Canary Islands. This company plans to use for the drilling 616.060 hectare of the east coast of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, amount of nearly 2.5 times the size of these two islands. Apart from benefiting Repsol there’s no reason to install oil rigs in this area. However there are plenty of reasons against oil prospecting in the Central Atlantic.
Read them listed here by Wim from Cleanoceanproject:
+ the area belongs to the Natural Reserve of Biosphere and in 2004 the Maritime International Organization declared this part of the ocean as especially sensitive.
+ crystal clear water in the area, white sand beaches and surroundings will be clearly polluted.
+ different species of cetacean, turtles, fish and thousands of invertebrates live and eat from the ground coral that will be destroyed if the drilling is allowed.
+ nearly one third of the species living in this part of the ocean are endemic
+ the chances of oil spill when drilling in deep waters are extremely high
+ the main income of the two islands is based on the tourism that enjoys the coast line and beaches
+ all water used in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote comes from the ocean, after being desalinated
+ Why using petrol when sun, wind and ocean power can be used instead?
+ citizens and local government from the Islands are totally opposed to the project but the central government ignores the fact
+ the constant burning of toxic gases will increase global warming, a worldwide concern
+ Repsol is known for cheating on the environmental measures taken in oil prospecting and has been involved in 7000 oil spills in the last 5 years
Have as well a look on our first article concerning this topic. There are 83 comments with different positions posted.
SAY NO TO ANOTHER DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL
SIGN THE PETITION here , more than 8300 did it already. And yesterday evening, at 19.00, a demonstration was hold against oil drilling next to the Fuerteventura and the Canaries at Puerto del Rosario.
Hi Klau,
the oil along the shore probably is a result of ships, which get an open ocean cleaning done just in front of Fuerteventura´s North Shore. All participants of the Fuerteventura Wave Classic 2012 did a beachcleaning and discovered so many oil spills in between the rocks and on the reef. You could see it easily when the tide went down: deep dark areas covered with fresh oil.
Chris
when was the oil spill at majanicho?
I want 1 liter super to be 1.05 Euro, but I don’t want it to be flowed right next to me.
This is not a petition against oil, its against oil drilling in a very sensitive area for wildlife, close to the coast and at very high depths ( 3500 m, higher risk for leaks ) The only local economy is tourism and the benefits are not for the local people or Spain but mainly for the drill company, Permitions have been denied for the same reasons years ago. If any acidents happens thousends of people will loose their jobs from one day to the other in change for nothing. Spain is not short on oil, for the same reasons drilling… Read more »