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3 clusters · 8 sources · 13 days · First seen · Last updated

South African court blocks Shell oil exploration

Overview

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has blocked offshore fossil fuel exploration led by Shell and Impact Africa along the Wild Coast. The ruling overturns previous legal decisions, including a 2024 Supreme Court of Appeal judgment, that had supported the companies' rights to conduct seismic surveys.

The court’s decision follows challenges from local communities and environmental organizations regarding the failure to conduct meaningful public consultations. Justice Jody Kollapen, writing for the majority, emphasized that public participation is a process that “affirms human dignity by affording a seat at the table to those whose lives are impacted by decisions.” The court noted that attempting to rectify the lack of consultation more than a decade after the original 2014 decision would not be curative, as it would treat a substantive breach of rights as a mere procedural error.

Advocates from groups such as Greenpeace Africa, the Amadiba Crisis Committee, and Sustaining the Wild Coast have welcomed the ruling, viewing it as a victory for indigenous rights and a precedent for protecting spiritual, cultural, and environmental connections to the ocean against corporate profit. The decision also prevents companies from bypassing a current government moratorium on new exploration rights along the South African coast.

While Shell maintains a commitment to “responsible” exploration and environmental stewardship, the court’s decision prioritizes the rights of coastal residents over corporate interests. Shell is reportedly also exploring the Orange Basin on South Africa’s west coast.

Entities

Shell · Constitutional Court of South Africa · Impact Africa · Amadiba Crisis Committee · Wild Coast

Timeline

  1. 16 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    South Africa court revokes Shell offshore exploration rights

    South Africa’s Constitutional Court has revoked Shell’s offshore oil and gas exploration rights near the Wild Coast, ruling that the government failed to properly consult local communities.

  2. 27 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    South Africa Constitutional Court blocks Shell oil exploration

    South Africa’s Constitutional Court has blocked Shell and Impact Africa from conducting offshore oil and gas exploration along the Wild Coast, citing failures in meaningful community consultation.

  3. 29 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    South Africa Constitutional Court halts Shell oil exploration

    South Africa’s Constitutional Court has revoked Shell’s oil and gas exploration rights off the Wild Coast, ruling that the failure to properly consult local communities violated their fundamental rights.

Sources

fr.news.yahoo.com · ghanamma.com · insidepolitic.co.za · merca2.es · news.mongabay.com · oedigital.com · rt.com · sverigesnatur.org

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history