Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSoco Halts Oil Exploration in Africa's Virunga National Park.
Link: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/11/soco-oil-virunga-national-park-congo-wwf
Conservationists have claimed one of their greatest successes in recent years following the unexpected decision by British oil company Soco to stop exploring in the Virunga world heritage site in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The company, which operates in Angola and Vietnam, caused international outrage when it was given permission to conduct seismic testing in Africa's oldest and most diverse national park, which is home to around half the world's 950 mountain gorillas, as well as hippos, elephants and chimpanzees.
The decision to pull out of Virunga national park follows legal mediation in London last week with WWF, but Soco is believed to have ultimately bowed to pressure from the British government, Unesco and high-profile individuals including Richard Branson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and US financier Howard Buffett. All condemned oil exploration in what is considered one of the world's most volatile regions. Leading conservation groups collected the signatures of more than 700,000 people.
The company, which operates in Angola and Vietnam, caused international outrage when it was given permission to conduct seismic testing in Africa's oldest and most diverse national park, which is home to around half the world's 950 mountain gorillas, as well as hippos, elephants and chimpanzees.
The decision to pull out of Virunga national park follows legal mediation in London last week with WWF, but Soco is believed to have ultimately bowed to pressure from the British government, Unesco and high-profile individuals including Richard Branson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and US financier Howard Buffett. All condemned oil exploration in what is considered one of the world's most volatile regions. Leading conservation groups collected the signatures of more than 700,000 people.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 579 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Soco Halts Oil Exploration in Africa's Virunga National Park. (Original Post)
RiffRandell
Jun 2014
OP
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)1. Good news, but it boggles the mind that they had started in this area...
Oil companies and the people who run them are pure evil.
RiffRandell
(5,909 posts)2. They are.
I hate them. I'm old enough to remember the Exxon Valdez spill...I literally cry whenever there is a spill...then the damn BP one.
My husband went to Germany a few weeks ago on business for the first time and loved it...said it's beautiful and "green" as they are big into solar: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/13/3436923/germany-energy-records/