Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

The energy and climate change project has many components dating to 1995 when SDCEA was founded, described here: https://sdcea.co.za/category/energy-climate-change/
The particular three-tiered energy-climate portfolio proposed for coming months and years‚ halting offshore methane gas exploration and extraction, ensuring a genuine Just Transition and decarbonisation for the local refineries, and preventing a Transnet/World Bank LNG terminal in Richards Bay ‚ has its roots in opposition to the two refineries that dominate South Durban. These are Sapref‚ (owned by Shell/BP) and Engen (owned by Malaysian parastatal Petronas); at peak during the 2010s, they produced 360 000 barrels/day.

Both recently announced shutdowns: in Sapref‚ case (10 February 2022), as a new buyer is sought; and in Engen‚ because a massive fire and explosion (4 December 2020) did so much damage that repair was infeasible, thus motivating an announced transition from refinery to oil storage depot. In both cases, the source of crude oil can easily be replaced in the world market, by refined oil. There is a single (offshore) intake of oil from tankers amounting to 80% of national imports. In both facilities, there are oil storage tanks and potential for expanded tanks so that refining crude is no longer considered necessary. Social, labour and environmental protest rose, especially after 1995 when SDCEA and allies repeatedly demanded accountability for oil spills, methane flaring, pipeline leaks, explosions, fires and toxic emissions that left the asthma rate at 52% and also very high cancer levels in adjoining residential areas.

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Every one of the staff involved is black. The South African definition of oppressed, dating to alliances between people of colour who fought white settler colonialism since 1652 and confirmed with the Black Consciousness movement of Steve Biko, fully accepted by the liberation movements that won democracy in 1994, is that ‚ black‚ includes the three oppressed racial groups: African, Indian and Coloured. SDCEA continues the liberation tradition, and although the refineries are located in what are South Durban‚ main traditionally Indian and Coloured areas (Merebank and Wentworth), they also affect the neighbouring African communities (Umlazi and Lamontville). (In the adjoining Bluff neighbourhood, SDCEA also works with white progressives committed to anti-racism.) 

Most of the SDCEA operational staff are in their 20s. The main intergenerational work SDCEA carries out is school environmental education ranging from primary through high school, and this reaches several thousand students each year. Youth have led numerous climate protests that SDCEA has organised dating back two decades. Youth camps and clean-up campaigns occur regularly. The Durban-area climate justice movements typically centre on SDCEA initiatives, and in 2022 these are already extending to Richards Bay. Finally, the climate justice philosophy itself is one SDCEA has shaped from the outset (the 2004 Durban Group for Climate Justice ), and racial environmental justice has been central to the work of the organisation since its 1995 formation.

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