Oil and gas platforms
Along with the dangers of the drillings themselves oil and gas mining also poses other threats: The sounds of the seismic explorations, the water and air pollution, and turbidity due to coastal developments. Further, the deep sea drillings endanger a highly species rich ecosystem: cold water coral reefs along the continental fringes.
The oil and gas explorations in deeper waters off the coast must be put under more stringent regulations and guidelines. Laws that support the offshore industry should be rejected, as long as there is no convincing proof of its environmental safety. Together with other environmental organisations we support the efforts against the US-oil extraction in the highly sensitive region in the so-called National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Through the creation of marine protected areas more regions along the outer shelf sea must be kept out of bounds for the oil industry, in order to allow the valuable fish stocks to recuperate and to protect the ecosystem.
Text: Onno Groß, 2016