We don’t need more oil because we have enough proven reserves to supply demand as the world transitions to a more sustainable low-carbon economy.
Yet, Canadian oil company ReconAfrica has its sights set on the Okavango River Basin—including Namibia’s Kavango regions and Botswana’s Okavango Delta—an ecosystem that supports the livelihood of tens of thousands of people and serves as home to endangered wildlife, from lions and giraffes to African Wild Dogs and the world’s largest remaining population of Endangered Savanna Elephants. The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Key Biodiversity Area, is also a lifeline to a desert delta and the main source of water for nearly one million people, relying on rivers originating in Angola, flowing through Namibia and emptying into northern Botswana.
We, the undersigned, are part of a growing community that defines progress not as the destruction of our planet to benefit a few, but as the protection of our irreplaceable natural resources to the benefit of all.
We stand in solidarity with the people of the Okavango River Basin in demanding a full moratorium on all oil and gas exploration and development in the Okavango River Basin, which includes the Kavango region of Namibia and is home to the famed Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Local communities in Namibia’s Kavango East and West regions deserve an independent and impartial public commission to examine oil and gas exploration in a way that is transparent, involves extensive consultation with them, and makes clear how this industry would affect their lives, rights, water, food security, and the natural environments of which they are custodians.
We further encourage the governments of Namibia and Botswana to consider sustainable, alternative energy so that they can meet their global climate and biodiversity commitments, while building a green economy that will benefit both countries’ people and wildlife in the long-term.
By signing this letter, we also pledge to use our collective voice to expose irresponsible extractive industry projects that pose a threat to ecosystems and the people who depend on them across the region by bringing sustained local, regional and international attention to them.
The choice is simple–either we preserve the wild and its benefits to humanity, or permanently destroy it through exploitation. We have made our choice by standing with local communities in embracing the former, protecting the irreplaceable Okavango River Basin for generations to come.
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Waorani Leader, Ceibo Alliance & Amazon Frontlines
Elephants Without Borders, Botswana
Namibia Chamber of Environment (Representing 70 NGOs in Namibia)
Women’s Leadership Centre
Environmental Investigation Agency
Meet the iconic species and characteristics of this region–and the people who rely on it.
We’ve created a social toolkit for you to spread the word about protecting the Okavango.
25,997 | Louise De Bruin | Game Rangers Association of Africa | Jan 30, 2023 | |
25,996 | Natalie Leonard | Jan 30, 2023 | ||
25,995 | Daniella Notarianni | Jan 30, 2023 | ||
25,994 | Teresa Carlino | Jan 30, 2023 | ||
25,993 | Anne Sofie Hammerich | Jan 30, 2023 | ||
25,992 | Jacopo Martino | Jan 30, 2023 | ||
25,991 | Mattia Longobardi | None | Jan 30, 2023 | |
25,990 | Vittorio Ricci | Salutation* | Jan 30, 2023 | |
25,989 | Emanuele Biggi | International League of Conservation Photographers ILCP | Jan 30, 2023 | |
25,988 | Francesca Grandi | Jan 30, 2023 | ||
25,987 | Alexa Cipollone | Jan 22, 2023 | ||
25,986 | Rosalind Stewart | Jan 07, 2023 | ||
25,985 | Eydís Björk Einarsdóttir | Jan 02, 2023 | ||
25,984 | Brad McDonough | Dec 24, 2022 | ||
25,983 | Kevin Robinson | UK Green Party | Nov 13, 2022 | |
25,982 | Tom Marsden | Metallurgical Consultant | Nov 11, 2022 | |
25,981 | Greg Marsden | Nov 10, 2022 | ||
25,980 | Grant Marsden | Nov 10, 2022 | ||
25,979 | Margarete Delettre | Nov 07, 2022 | ||
25,978 | Jane Jackson | Nov 01, 2022 | ||
25,977 | ML Njie | Equal justice unification | Oct 30, 2022 | |
25,976 | Lisa Carey | None | Oct 28, 2022 | |
25,975 | Kayla Taylor | Oct 28, 2022 | ||
25,974 | Christine Mora | Oct 14, 2022 | ||
25,973 | Erin Whiteley | Oct 13, 2022 | ||
25,972 | Josiah Webb | "JAW" | Oct 06, 2022 | |
25,971 | Lindsey Newman | Sep 28, 2022 | ||
25,970 | Sara-hee Laursen | Sep 24, 2022 | ||
25,969 | Nicolas Olivares | Sep 23, 2022 | ||
25,968 | Jamie Moser | Sep 23, 2022 | ||
25,967 | Leilju Aišlinn | Global Citizen | Sep 20, 2022 | |
25,966 | Julia Schade | Sep 14, 2022 | ||
25,965 | Nancy Fellmann | Sep 11, 2022 | ||
25,964 | Marshella putriana Saru | None | Sep 10, 2022 | |
25,963 | Daniel Hotz | Ecological Restoration Fund | Sep 07, 2022 | |
25,962 | Clare Kennedy | Sep 07, 2022 | ||
25,961 | Naelle Joao | okavango.rewild.org | Aug 29, 2022 | |
25,960 | Carmen L | Aug 14, 2022 | ||
25,959 | Thaïs Poirier | Aug 12, 2022 | ||
25,958 | Tania Anderson | Private | Aug 12, 2022 | |
25,957 | Darcy Hitchcock | Aug 07, 2022 | ||
25,956 | Cassandra Wuerthele | Jul 29, 2022 | ||
25,955 | Paul Stanislas | Ferndown Property Management | Jul 25, 2022 | |
25,954 | Lori Johnson | Jul 23, 2022 | ||
25,953 | Thibault Van Thillo | Jul 22, 2022 | ||
25,952 | Cari Rollins | Jul 21, 2022 | ||
25,951 | Yael Plat | NaturaCultura | Jul 13, 2022 | |
25,950 | Michal Mizrachi | Jul 12, 2022 | ||
25,949 | Erin Tsui | Jul 10, 2022 | ||
25,948 | Mairead Ni Chuirc | Religious Sisters of Charity | Jul 06, 2022 | |
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Image Credits
Cover Photo: Frans Lanting
Carousel: The Women’s Leadership Centre, Windhoek; Cory Richards
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