(3 Minutes Read)
There is growing discontent brewing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against excessive mining, which has polluted the soil and air alike. People living close to places where mining activities take place complain that agricultural production was grossly affected by the mining activities, apart from polluting the air and creating health hazards to people.
Congo, a central African country, rich in minerals, also has significant oil reserves. Drilling so far has been limited to a small area along the Atlantic Ocean and offshore. But many people apprehend that this would change if the government succeeds in auctioning 30 oil and gas blocks spread across the country.
But there is also a different shade of opinion. Leaders say economic growth is essential for their impoverished people, but some communities, rights groups, and environmental watchdogs warn that expanded drilling will harm the landscape and human health.
The Franco-British hydrocarbon company Perenco began drilling in Moanda territory in 2000. Ever since, residents say pollution has worsened, with spills and leaks degrading the soil and flaring polluting the air they breathe. In the ongoing developments, the Congolese government exercises little control.
However, Perenco said its extraction methods met international standards, posed no health risks and any pollution was minor. The company also said it was proposing to support a power plant that would use natural gas and thereby reduce flaring. However, the government did not respond to questions about the proposed plant. Congolese Oil and Gas Minister Didier Budimbu said the government was committed to protecting the environment.
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The DRC is home to most of the Congo Basin rainforest, the second largest in the world, and most of the world’s largest tropical peatland. More than a dozen parcels up for auction straddle protected areas of peatlands and rainforests, including Virunga National Park, home to some of the world’s rarest gorillas.
The government said the 27 available oil blocks contain an estimated 22 billion barrels of oil. Environmental groups say auctioning more land for drilling would have consequences both at home and abroad. Environmental advocates believe that the DRC has strong potential to develop renewable energy, notably solar energy, as well as small-scale hydroelectricity. The DRC is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a key component of electric vehicle batteries and other products critical to the global energy transition, although cobalt mining comes with its own environmental and human risks.
