Total project in Brazil faces harsh opposition

/ News & Interviews / Monday, 24 September 2018 11:25

Opponents of a Total oil drilling project off Brazil have tinted fountains in France in black to put forward the risks they believe they face on a “unique” coral reef at the mouth of the Amazon.

“The reef of the Amazon is not an oil fountain”, could we see on the banners deployed by the activists of Greenpeace and ANV-Cop21 on fountains of about thirty cities, from Paris to Rennes, passing through Bordeaux, Lille or Nancy.

In three cities, Paris, Nantes and Grenoble, coconut charcoal – which Greenpeace assured had no environmental impact – was dumped into the water.

Being near the Fontaine aux Lion at La Villette in Paris, and under the rain, activists have conscientiously propagated their black mixture in the waters of the first two floors of the fountain despite having their feet in water, some spotted with molasses.

“Total insists on finding this oil while there are ecosystems, jewels of diversity to preserve. It is no longer the age of oil, we are at the age of transition,” said Edina Ifticene, campaign manager for Greenpeace.

The NGOs chose this date while the oil group must file a new version of the environmental impact study of its project with the Brazilian authorities.

At the end of May, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) had once again asked Total to review its copy, considering the environmental impact studies “insufficient”.

“We have four months to answer, we are asked to do further studies and we will do them”, assured the CEO of Total Patrick Pouyanné, confirming that the project could only be done “in respect of the environment”. The group ensures that the risks put forward by environmental advocates “do not exist”.

According to Greenpeace, the coral reef of the Amazon River, discovered in 2016, is larger than previously thought and extends into concessions where Total wants to look for oil.

The NGO is concerned about drilling but also possible leaks or oil spills that threaten this ecosystem and the mangrove on the Brazilian coast.

“We must stop this abuse, the tanker does not have to drill near this ecosystem and near the mangrove because once affected by an oil spill, it cannot be cleaned,” criticized Edina Ifticene.

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