Mason Jones (Reporter)
CAMPAIGNERS are to stage a ‘human chain’ protest in Fuengirola tomorrow in an effort to stop gas drilling off the Costa del Sol.
The group, Citizens Against Oil Exploration on the Costa del Sol, will gather at 12pm on the promenade close to the Chiringuito La Caracola.
Concerns have grown about the effect oil exploration could have on the Costa del Sol’s tourism industry, the leading source of employment in the area.
“The main reason we are doing it is to raise awareness,” said campaigner Luis Sanchez Garcia.
“Many people have no idea about this, but if everyone gets together maybe we can make a change in the plan.
“We know it is still going to go ahead but I believe a citizens voice and opinion is always important.
“I would say that nearly everyone here on the coast is against this project, this is the Costa del Sol not the Costa del Gas!”
Local PSOE mayors have already teamed up with Greenpeace activists in publicising the risks of the drilling, fearing a disaster similar to that of the Prestige oil tanker spill in 2002.
There have already been two protests held in the neighbouring town of Mijas, with a boat trip organised to take residents to the proposed drilling spot next month.
would have thought that this would be good..? After all they wont be 100m off the beach….! Jobs, supplies etc… = money in local economy…. !
Oil Rig + Spanish Health & Safety = disaster waiting to happen.
I hope the drilling project goes ahead and I really hope they find gas, for Spain and Andalucia’s sake. Am amazed so many seem against it? Typical Greenpeace scaremongering about another Prestige disaster. Hello! This is a gas field – there won’t be any oil tankers anywhere near here!
Oil on the beach, poison in the sea, drunken, brawling leathernecks in local bars,more global warming, stolen assets by bent politicians, tourism harmed, what’s not to like?
Dan, the action group is called “Citizens Against OIL Exploration on the Costa del Sol”. The exploration on the Costa del Sol is for both Oil, and Gas. Fraking involves pumping toxic chemicals into the seabed. No scaremongering is involved. In such an industry there is always the chance of a disaster that pollutes the surrounding area, and since the Costa del Sol is selling the coast itself, it’s utter madness to contemplate it.
Fred, I appreciate what you are saying. “Fracking” however is something entirely different from the more routine “drilling” which will be the case here. I do not believe that the beaches will be under any more threat than they are now, due to copious amounts of raw sewage which is excreted into the Med.
NO OIL CANARIAS!!!
all info here: “http://nooilcanarias.com”
The Costa del Sol is for holidays and this would be a quick way to plunge the area to new lows. Desperate times. People will just preceive Spain as polluted, having oil on the beaches and go elsewhere.
Once you get 3 miles from the coast its international waters and falls out of the control of Spain. I live in Fuengirola the local authorities have created a dead town due to all the removel of all entertainments and over zelious policing of local business’ the police have nothing more to do now but act as stelf tax collectors. Speak to any tourists that arrive here expecting to have a normal nice holiday and they will all tell you the same ‘never coming here again nothing to do’..
Spain claims 12 miles as do most nations. Furthermore what’s called an ‘Exclusive Economic Zone’ extends 200 miles out from the coast. wikipedia says “A coastal nation has control of all economic resources within its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and any pollution of those resources”.