Environmental activists say shipborne seismic surveys in Antarctica pose a threat to marine life in the area and violate a 1958 international agreement .
A Russian vessel engaged in oil and natural gas exploration in Antarctica, on Saturday, January 28, moored in Cape Town (South Africa). However, green activists greeted the ship with protests and said that its activities in the region violate the treaty banning mineral exploration.
This is reported by Reuters.
The vessel “Akademik Alexander Karpinsky” is in the port of Cape Town met by members of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion with posters “Hands off Antarctica”.
Earlier this week, several dozen protesters from Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion demonstrated at the port, saying that shipborne seismic surveys in Antarctica posed a threat to marine life in the area and violated a 1958 international agreement.
1998 Amendment to The 55-country Antarctic Treaty, signed by both Russia and South Africa, bans exploration and mining in the region.
Rosgeologiya, the state-owned Russian exploration company that operates the vessel Akademik Alexander Karpinsky, says it has been conducting exploration in the Russian part of Antarctica for hydrocarbon exploration since 1970.
According to the Rosgeo website, the hydrocarbon potential of this area is estimated at approximately 70 billion tons.
Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Cassie Goodman told Reuters that the South African government was complicit in causing environmental damage by allowing a Russian ship to dock.
Note, the Ukrainian Association of South Africa condemned the repeated visits of a Russian vessel to the coast of South Africa, saying that it violates the cornerstones of the ATS, according to which Antarctica is used for scientific and peaceful purposes.
By the way, the government of President Cyril Ramaphos maintains friendly relations with Russia. South Africa claims to be impartial about the conflict and held its own during the voting on UN resolutions on the war.
Recall that on December 24, a fuel truck exploded in South Africa: there are victims and dozens of injured.
