#AfrikaVuka
Fossil Free Virunga
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet. It was classified in 1979 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site but has been at the crossroads of an intense conflict for oil, involving foreign fossil fuels interests, armed militia groups, and corrupted officials for almost a decade now.
The Park holds a special significance to the hundreds of thousands of people who depend on it for their livelihoods. It is also home to a multitude of Africa’s bird species, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, medicinal plants, and other rare and endangered species.
It’s our job to fight back and dismantle the fossil fuel economy, hold accountable those who profit off corporate greed, and build a world that puts a livable planet and public interest first. This is what Fossil Free Virunga is about – a story of four activists who are speaking up and fighting to protect their home, for all of our futures.
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“It’s our job to fight back and dismantle the fossil fuel economy, hold accountable those who profit off corporate greed, and build a world that puts a livable planet and public interest first…”
Say no to oil exploitation in Virunga!
The immense and rich diversity of ecosystems, incomparable fauna and flora in the Virunga and Salonga parks which is of an exceptional universal value, is now threatened by licensing rounds for oil exploration by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, through the Ministry of Hydrocarbons.
The local communities and civil society demand that the Congolese government immediately put an end to the process for granting oil exploration licences within these sensitive ecosystems, including the decommissioning project for parts of the Virunga and Solanga Parks, both listed as UNESCO world heritage and RAMSAR sites.
The immense and rich diversity of ecosystems, incomparable fauna and flora in the Virunga and Salonga parks which is of an exceptional universal value, is now threatened by licensing rounds for oil exploration by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, through the Ministry of Hydrocarbons.
Faced with this threat to these legendary parks, both UNESCO global heritage and RAMSAR sites that are home to an amazing biodiversity including rare and endangered species that do not exist anywhere else in the world, local communities as well as the local civil society took action to oppose these oil exploration licences which would have devastating consequences on the lives and rights of the people in the local community including deforestation, insecurity, pollution, destruction of the communities' livelihoods and climate change.
The local communities and local civil society are calling upon the Congolese government for the strict observance of the laws of the Republic and international conventions on protecting the environment, promoting and protecting farmers' rights, priority investments in renewable energies to promote the sustainable development of local economies through existing economic alternatives within protected areas.
They are calling for an immediate halt to the process for granting oil exploration licences within these sensitive ecosystems, including the decommissioning project for parts of the Virunga and Solanga Parks, both listed as UNESCO world heritage and RAMSAR sites.
About the Virunga Campaign
The oil exploration threatens the rich biodiversity of the region posing a risk to the health and livelihoods of neighboring communities. Despite the global trend to shift from fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy, DRC is taking a dangerous and unsustainable path towards oil exploration, whilst the country is already suffering from the adverse effects of depletion of its tropical forests.The Virunga campaign is calling on the DRC government to immediately halt all oil development activities in Virunga by cancelling all exploration licenses issued since 2005 and protecting sensitive ecosystems by denouncing human rights violations, and addressing climate change concerns.
Help us share the call for a Fossil Free Virunga
Click any of the links below to tweet right away — or write your own.
Africa needs sustainable renewable energy solutions to provide economic power to the people. We don’t need new Fossil Fuel projects that will ultimately worsen the #climatecrisis. We are saying no to oil exploration in DRC #FossilFreeVirunga
Pope Francis @PapeEnRdc @Pontifex as you visit DRC this week, we invite you to pledge your support for our campaign to stop the expansion of #fossilfuels. As you’ve said before ‘the emission of carbon dioxide must be drastically reduced.’ #FossilFreeDRC
Plans by the DRC government to auction 27 oil & 3 gas blocks pose an enormous danger to local communities, ecosystems and the climate. President @FelixUdps renewables are an alternative way to generate energy and derive revenue sustainably #FossilFreeDRC
New investments in #fossilfuels proposed by the Government of #DRC will delay the transition to clean energy and cause further climate catastrophe for the people of Congo. Help us stop the expansion of oil and gas in the DRC. #FossilFreeDRC
To protect forests and communities in the #DRC from oil and gas exploration, we need the Congolese government to cancel the auction of oil and gas blocks in #DRC! @Pontifex @FelixUdps #FossilFreeVirunga
Pope Francis @PapeEnRdc @Pontifex we look to you to use your influence to help us stop the oil and gas exploration authorised by the Congolese government that will risk livelihoods and conservation of sensitive natural environments #FossilFreeDRC