A Global Imperative: A Moratorium on Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling

October 23, 2024

The specter of climate change looms large over our planet, casting a long shadow on the future of communities across the globe. As we prepare for the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the world’s nations stand at a crossroads between continued fossil fuel expansion and a just transition to a cleaner, more sustainable future to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. The choices we make today will determine the fate of our planet for generations to come. Among the most pressing issues on the table is the need to halt the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling.

Offshore drilling is profitable for the gas and oil industry but is a risky business for climate-vulnerable nations like the Bahamas and Sénégal. While it may appear to be an economic boon for the people, this practice often exploits natural resources with disastrous consequences — from oil spills to exploratory activities that harm wildlife, as well as the inevitable acceleration of the climate crisis. The impacts can be devastating and compounding, affecting our oceans, marine ecosystems, and local economies, including fisheries and tourism.

Despite their geographic distance, government leaders from the Bahamas and Sénégal have an opportunity to set a positive example for other nations by halting the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling in favor of protective policies that support safe energy solutions for coastal communities.  

The Bahamian government has been considering the cost of allowing offshore oil drilling in its beautiful crystalline water for years. Nearly four million acres of its waters have already been opened to oil exploration, and the pressure to drill continues in spite of documented dangers. With tourism contributing over 50% of the Bahamas’ GDP and employing over half of the workforce, any activity that could hinder this vital industry poses a significant economic risk. Just one oil spill could tar its pristine beaches and marine ecosystems for years, as the oil takes time to break down, deterring tourists and leading to substantial economic losses that would be difficult to bear.

The Bahamian government lacks the infrastructural capacity to contain a major oil spill or to fund mitigation efforts for such a disaster. As a small island nation in a remote location, access to specialized equipment — such as oil skimmers and booms — is severely limited, hindering effective spill response. This often leads to smaller teams of first responders and fewer personnel with specialized knowledge in oil spill cleanup. The Bahamian government can learn from the experiences of neighboring Caribbean countries, such as Cuba and Haiti, which have faced significant challenges in responding to past oil spills due to limited resources and infrastructure.

A 2023 nationwide survey conducted by Our Islands, Our Future found that an overwhelming majority — 86% — of the Bahamian population are in favor of legislation to permanently halt all fossil fuel exploration in order to protect the country’s marine environment, coastal ecosystems, and tourism economy. The Bahamian government should heed this overwhelming public consensus and place a moratorium on existing license agreements and a permanent ban on offshore oil drilling in Bahamian waters.

This year, foreign oil companies gained a foothold in Sénégal by beginning drilling off its coasts, despite the associated risks. Local communities cannot afford for this dangerous activity to spread any further. The country is inextricably linked to the sea — local fisheries support livelihoods in fishing and fish processing, which are vital for dietary needs and food security. The fishing sector employs 17% of the country’s working population and provides more than 40% of its animal protein. Artisanal fishermen in Sénégal catch approximately 90% of the fish harvested in the country.

The areas and communities around the Saloum River Delta in the Sangomar reserve are particularly vulnerable to oil development. An oil platform has been placed next to Saloum Delta National Park, a biodiversity hotspot crucial for artisanal fishing and a sustainable tourism economy. Instead of respecting and safeguarding these vital economic sectors, big oil executives are jeopardizing them with their drilling activities.

It is not a matter of if there will be spills that would affect the fishery, but a matter of when.

Over the span of nine years, from 2010 to 2019, the United States averaged nearly two spills a day. And in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, researchers identified over 18,000 oil spills in a ten-year period — resulting in a much higher amount of oil spilled than the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon explosion — which were primarily caused by offshore drilling operations.

In addition to oil spills, intense underwater sound blasts from seismic exploration and toxic discharges are among the main concerns of fishing communities that have not been adequately involved in the development of these fossil fuel projects.

These risks to Sénégal come with little rewards. We’ve seen in other African countries targeted for drilling — like Nigeria, Sudan, and the Congo — that the majority of the energy extracted and the financial benefits go right out of the country, sold to foreign markets, while Sénégal will be left to deal with the public health, economic, and climate consequences.

Just look at what happened in Nigeria. Shell’s activities in the Niger Delta resulted in thousands of oil spills that polluted the environment, contaminated drinking water and poisoned agricultural land, fisheries and people. Many Niger Delta residents rely on farming and fishing as their sole source of food and income, but oil spills have ruined the water and the land and cost many residents their livelihoods.

The approved and proposed projects in Sénégal represent a major expansion of fossil fuels in Africa, particularly West Africa. The oil fields off Sénégal’s coast are fairly contiguous with the fields off Mauritania to the north and Guinea-Bissau to the south. If the fossil fuel industry is allowed a strong foothold in Sénégal, it will provide a basis for expansion throughout the region, damaging fisheries and livelihoods and leaving a toxic legacy, as has been seen repeatedly around the world.

Oil and gas companies seeking to expand development in countries like Sénégal and the Bahamas are selling false hope, and the only people who will truly profit are oil executives. It is imperative that global leaders at COP29 heed the urgent call to impose a moratorium on new offshore oil and gas leasing and drilling activities in these regions.

A moratorium on new offshore oil and gas leasing and drilling in the Bahamas and Sénégal would send a strong signal to the world that we are committed to protecting our planet’s ecosystems and transitioning to a clean energy future. It would provide an opportunity to invest in renewable energy, promote sustainable development, and build more resilient communities.

Moreover, a moratorium would align with the goals of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius. By reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the fossil fuel industry and investing in readily available renewable solutions like wind and solar power, we can mitigate the worst impacts of climate change and protect our communities.

The risks associated with offshore oil and gas drilling far outweigh any potential benefits. It is time for global leaders to take bold action and impose a moratorium on new offshore drilling activities. By doing so, we can protect our planet’s oceans, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and build a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Original article published by Impakter on October 23, 2024