50 signatures reached
To: Lefoko Moagi, Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Republic of Botswana
Don't drill the Okavango!
The government of Botswana should be protecting the Okavango delta from irreparable harm by foreign exploiters, not selling our precious heritage to the likes of oil & gas neo-colonialists like the Canadian company Recon Africa.
As our minister of Green Technology, you should uphold your portfolio by supporting renewable energy plans, doing away with fossil-fueled energy.
I am appealing to you to institute a moratorium on any fossil fuel exploration/extraction in Botswana and invest in renewable alternatives.
Why is this important?
I am writing this petition as a concerned resident who has lived in the delta all my life. I am a pastoral farmer, and I have fiercely guarded our environment for all the years I have lived here.
There are no physical drilling activities in Botswana, but I believe that Recon Africa will expand its active exploration into our country following their initial drilling in Namibia. I am convinced that once the oil is discovered, the company will proceed with their production phase, which is a primary environmental concern, as it would generate a significant amount of greenhouse gas, contributing to the overall problem of global heating.
As Batswana, we should learn from what happened in the Niger delta. The marshland has been destroyed, no fish are left, and much biodiversity has been lost due to oil spills. It will take many years to recover – if ever! There is nothing left for the people of the Niger delta. Botswana must never find itself in such a regrettable situation.
The residents of Ngamiland have a long history of environmentalism. Our forefathers were one of the first in Africa to take a consensus decision in 1963 to form a conservation society to protect the Moremi Game Reserve. Now, as a young conservationist, I appeal to others to join me in protecting our fragile ecosystem by rejecting the decision to allow these activities that threaten our wetlands and, consequently, the future livelihoods of those who live there.
How it will be delivered
I have joined one of Greenpeace Africa's brave activists Sven Fautley who has embarked on a courageous journey, cycling from Cape Town to the Okavango Delta to protest oil drilling in the area. We'll cycle together from Maun to Rundu, engaging with the local villagers along the way, to hand his petition (vuma.earth/p/sos) in at Recon's office there. I'll then cycle to Gaborone to hand over my petition, in person, at the relevant ministry.