The ocean is filled with beautiful animals that have as much right to life as you and I, yet people are killing them to the extent that certain breeds of fish are now endangered. I realize that fish is a food source, but this is going to far. Also, what is the point of killing dolphins? Japanese "Drive hunts" kill 20000 dolphins every year, and for what? Who eats dolphins? They are beautiful mammals that need to be preserved. In addition, if fish become extinct, they won't be there for people to eat in the future.

The West Coast has a unique and ecologically critical ecosystem and the following is under immediate threat if the mining company EEM is not stopped immediately in the Supreme Court. The Langebaan Lagoon (which is a RAMSAR site and a marine protected area) is an 'aquifer dependant lagoon' and the Elandsfontein aquifer which feeds the Lagoon has been described by experts as 'highly vulnerable and susceptible to anthropogenic pollutants and disturbance' and 'potentially extremely environmentally sensitive' due to its intergranular sandy structure. The Department of Water Affairs have outlined in their research that: • the Langebaan Road aquifer and the Elandsfontein aquifer are connected with one another as different influences have the same impact on the monitoring holes of both aquifers, • water flows from the Elandsfontein aquifer to the Langebaan Lagoon through Geelbek, • water also flows from Elandsfontein to the Langebaan Road aquifer, • if the aquifer should be dried up for whatever reason, the sand formations, will lose its capability to store water permanently, • if pollution of any nature should occur the Langebaan Road aquifer, Elandsfontein aquifer and the Langebaan Lagoon will be affected. EEM is proposing to mine within: • a 10-million-year old aquifer, which is a critical groundwater source within a 30 km radius, • a Core 1 area of a UNESCO Biosphere, • an internationally significant heritage area, described as an “Origin of Man” site, • a Critical Biodiversity Area, • a Buffer zone of the West Coast National Park and • a climate adaptive corridor, • an area that is signed into an international Convention on Biological Diversity treaty (South Africa is a signed partner) as part of the Park Expansion Plan Program, • a priority climate change adaptation corridor where they will be mining on endangered vegetation with 16 Red Data species, • a most vulnerable municipality with regards to climate change, • a planned protected area, • a groundwater catchment area, and • an inter-regional biodiversity corridor.

To put Protea Banks under a MPD is necessary because our sharks need to be protected and they can only survive through networks of global marine protected areas. Sharks are not only vital for the survival of our oceans but they also have become highly important assets for eco tourism. If the sharks die, the ocen dies too !!!

Bien qu’inscrite au Patrimoine Mondial de l’Humanité (UNESCO), bien qu’ancienne capitale de l’AOF et considérée comme capitale culturelle du Sénégal, malgré la présence de plusieurs réserves naturelles protégées sur son territoire étendu, la Ville de St-Louis croule aujourd’hui littéralement sous les déchets. Les déchets sont les premiers à nous accueillir à Saint-Louis, ils jalonnent notre chemin dans la ville, ils défigurent les paysages pourtant paradisiaques, ils contaminent notre fleuve duquel est extrait l’eau que nous buvons, ils ulcèrent les espèces terrestres qui nous nourrissent, ils font le foyer de maladies graves pour ceux qui n’ont pas accès à la salubrité, ils contaminent les sols pour les décennies à venir, ils étouffent les espèces terrestres et marines protégées qui viennent ici nicher, ils marquent à jamais négativement le touriste et donne une idée bien triste de l’Afrique. Ils sont notre quotidien et nous pourrions être tentés de croire qu’il s’agit ici d’une cause perdue. Nous, résidents de la Ville de Saint-Louis du Sénégal, nous nous y refusons !

The energy crisis in South Africa is reaching tipping point, economic growth has slowed down and the prices of electricity are rising shaper as there is no competitor to Eskom.

L'AVENIR DE LA PLANETE DEPEND DE VOUS § OUI !