Alerte Congolaise pour l’Environnement et les Droits de l’Homme (ACEDH), an association campaigning for the protection of the environment, organized a mobilization session this Saturday, July 13, 2024 in the city of Goma, bringing together social actors and scientific executives on environmental and social safeguards in the face of « gas exploitation » in Lake Kivu, eastern DRC.
The session, which took place at the Sabinyo school, aimed to raise awareness and prepare environmentalists and members of communities living around the lake for the imminent exploitation of methane gas and C02. According to Me Jovial Bakulu, an environmentalist from Goma and ACEDH executive, it is important to alert environmentalists to the fact that the 3 gas blocks have been sold by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons illegally and without respect for environmental and social standards, in particular the absence of participation by the population, which is never consulted in the process. According to ACEDH, this violates articles 7, 8 and 9 of the law on the fundamental principles of environmental protection.
The aim is to prepare local communities to assert their rights and benefit equitably from the economic spin-offs of this exploitation, while of course taking care to protect the environment, in particular the risk of atrophication of the lake should the gas be poorly exploited, explains Mr. Jovial Bakulu.
« […]Today, the aim was to prepare environmental rights defenders on how to reconcile the protection or safeguarding of social and environmental interests in the face of the gas exploitation that is about to take place on Lake Kivu. We targeted the communities living around Lake Kivu, but also the environmental defenders who are committed to defending the interests of the communities, so that they don’t find themselves surprised by the harmful effects of this exploitation », he explained.
He continues: « […] We expect these communities to understand the need to ensure that the danger of gas in Lake Kivu is averted, while not forgetting the interests of the population, in particular their means of subsistence, but also citizen control over the gas exploitation process, so that the related benefits cannot be misappropriated by individuals. There’s also the degassing of the Kabuno golf course, which isn’t going to make any money at the moment, but in the environmental context it deserves environmental and social monitoring. Today, the government has not taken any steps to reforest the area where the industrial operation will be set up. Although degassing is still at an elementary stage, the population is deploring the fact that when you pass by the experimental degassing station, there are now nauseating odors being released. We don’t know how these odors and other consequences will increase when degassing reaches the industrial phase, since there are no trees to counterbalance the CO2 that is being degassed there », he continues.
Gas exploitation, ecological or economic boom?
Professor Charles Balagizi, Scientific Director of the Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG), spoke about the origin of the gas present in Lake Kivu. In his presentation, he pointed out that this gas is directly linked to the volcanic activity of the Virungas, including Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo.
He also warned of the risks of methane gas and carbon dioxide (CO2) explosions, hence the need to extract them for electricity production. In ecological terms, Prof. Charles Balegiza felt that extraction must be carried out in a way that respects environmental aspects.
« (…) I believe that the extraction of methane gas will bring electricity to the Kivu region, Goma and Bukavu. It’s a huge opportunity because electricity is the engine of development. In terms of ecology, I think that this extraction must be done in a way that respects the environment, so that negative impacts can be avoided. We feel that the community is taking ownership of this issue », he maintained.
Participants take ownership of the campaign
Social players and scientific executives have committed themselves to actively disseminating knowledge about gas exploitation in Lake Kivu within the community, ensuring collective preparedness. Such is the case of environmental activist Emmanuela Luanda. In her view, it takes a great deal of determination on the part of social players to effectively defend community interests while preserving the environment around Lake Kivu.
« We were invited by ACEDH, which trained us, instructed us and strengthened our capacity on climate justice. I can assure you that it was a very beneficial moment. We were trained in the exploitation and production of gas in Lake Kivu, which we will pass on to the community, » she says.
The same goes for Kavugho Kachelewa, an assistant at the Institut Supérieur de Pêche in Goma. She undertook to popularize the message among the women and, above all, to prepare them psychologically so that they are aware of the consequences and interests linked to the exploitation of gas in Lake Kivu.
« This activity was vital because it prepares us, as activists, to raise awareness among the population. If people aren’t well prepared, they can refuse this extraction, even though it’s economically beneficial, but they also need to know the consequences and be prepared for it. As a fighter, I’m committed to raising women’s awareness, so it’s my duty to spread the word », she reassures us.
According to ACEDH asbl, the same exercise will take place on the island of Idjwi, in the heart of Lake Kivu. On site, residents will also be trained in the extraction of methane gas and carbon dioxide, a project already launched by the Congolese government. For the moment, Kinshasa is in the elementary phase with the Kabuno block.
Magloire Tsongo in Goma
