WWF - UNESCO warns against Virunga oil exploration
The United
Nations agency that oversees World Heritage Sites has issued an urgent appeal for the end of oil exploration
in Virunga National Park. After a field mission to the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DRC) property, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) reported “extreme concern” over the prospect
of petroleum extraction in the park, which is home to the greatest variety of
plants and animals in Africa. “Any oil exploitation inside the property
would seriously affect its integrity,” UNESCO
said.
London-based oil company Soco
International PLC began seismic testing in the park’s Lake Edward last
month despite repeated objections from the UK government. UNESCO urged Soco to
withdraw from Virunga and pledge that the company will stay out of all natural
World Heritage Sites. According to the agency, oil exploration and exploitation
are incompatible with World Heritage status.
“Soco is putting in
jeopardy the future of 50,000 families that depend on Virunga’s Lake
Edward for their jobs, food and fresh water. Drilling could destroy forever
this extraordinary place that has survived so much,” said Zach Abraham of
WWF International. “The world should not stand by and allow
Africa’s oldest national park to become its newest oil
field.”
Virunga was inscribed on
the World Heritage list in 1979 as one of the first properties recognized in
Africa as having outstanding universal natural value that should be preserved
for future generations. It is best known for its population of critically
endangered mountain gorillas and for its active volcanoes. WWF has worked on
forest, freshwater and wildlife conservation in Virunga for 40 years and
supports its heroic rangers, of which more than 140 have died in the line of
duty. Last month Chief
Warden Emmanuel de Merode narrowly survived being shot four times in an
ambush.
The threats to the park,
including oil, will be discussed at the World Heritage Committee meeting next
month in Doha, Qatar. At the meeting, the committee will take into
consideration recommendations from its expert bodies and issue a decision. Last year the group called for the cancelation of
Virunga’s petroleum exploration permits. A draft committee decision for this
year repeats that call and urges state parties to the World Heritage convention
“to do their utmost to ensure that the mining or petroleum companies
established on their territories do not damage World Heritage
properties.”
“Virunga is
protected by national laws and international treaties, which both DRC and the
UK have an obligation to uphold,” Abraham said. “Soco should
abandon its plans to explore for oil in Virunga and come into compliance with
corporate social responsibility standards before the issue goes before the
World Heritage Committee.”
CONTACT
Robin Clegg, rclegg@wwf.org.uk +44 7771 818 707 . Images of
Virunga National Park are available for media use here.
ABOUT
WWF
WWF
is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation
organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in
over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the
Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in
harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity,
ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and
promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful
consumption.
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