Another push for the environment is planned on Saturday April 29 outside the council buildings in Aljezur – the west Algarve borough imminently threatened by plans for deep-offshore drilling 46 kms from its coastline.
Explain organisers, the event is designed to highlight that “citizens and organisations want governments to follow a new energy paradigm – one that respects human rights and places people above the commercial interests of the oil industry and its lobbies”.
CEO of ASMAA (Algarve Surf and Maritime Activities Association) Laurinda Seabra stresses that it is not enough that Portugal’s government has dropped some of the drilling licences previously handed to concessions. “It is critical that all current contracts, as well as any future contracts be declared null and void” as it is “not credible” for a government to have a true climate policy while concurrently continuing to pursue fossil fuels”.
Seabra was referring to Portugal’s vow to become carbon neutral by 2050 (given at the COP22 climate conference in Marrakesh last year), explaining that people welcome economic development “free from actions that are leading our planet to disaster”, but will not accept mixed messages and double standards.
The protest in Aljezur is open to everyone, and starts at 3pm.
Meantime, ASMAA will be manning a stall at the Lagos’ Feira dos Descobrimentos between April 27 and May 1.
PHOTO: Aljezur, and its mayor (in the centre) has been a focus of anti-oil protests throughout the hard-fought campaign that has already seen four offshore concessions and one onshore concession dropped from the government’s programme.
