This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-44662326
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| DR Congo explores oil drilling allowed in wildlife parks | |
| (3 days later) | |
| The Democratic Republic of Congo government is looking into whether to allow oil exploration in two protected wildlife parks, Virunga and Salonga. | |
| The move is strongly opposed by environmental activists, who say drilling would place wildlife at risk and contribute to global warming. | The move is strongly opposed by environmental activists, who say drilling would place wildlife at risk and contribute to global warming. |
| Around one-fifth of Virunga national park could be opened to oil drilling. | |
| The parks are home to bush elephants, critically endangered mountain gorillas and the bonobo, an endangered ape. | The parks are home to bush elephants, critically endangered mountain gorillas and the bonobo, an endangered ape. |
| Both parks are Unesco World Heritage Sites, with Salonga national park covering 36,000 sq km (13,900 sq miles) of the Congo Basin - the world's second-largest rainforest after the Amazon. | Both parks are Unesco World Heritage Sites, with Salonga national park covering 36,000 sq km (13,900 sq miles) of the Congo Basin - the world's second-largest rainforest after the Amazon. |
| The government has defended its right to authorise drilling anywhere in the country, saying in a statement that it is mindful of protecting animals and plants in the two parks. | The government has defended its right to authorise drilling anywhere in the country, saying in a statement that it is mindful of protecting animals and plants in the two parks. |
| The cabinet said it had approved commissions charged with looking into whether to declassify parts of the parks, including 1,720 sq km (664 sq miles), or 21.5%, of eastern Congo's Virunga, the continent's oldest wildlife reserve. | |
| Earlier this year, park authorities decided to close the park famous for its volcanoes to visitors until 2019 after two British tourists were kidnapped and a female park ranger was killed. | Earlier this year, park authorities decided to close the park famous for its volcanoes to visitors until 2019 after two British tourists were kidnapped and a female park ranger was killed. |
| The region has suffered rising instability and violence, with at least 12 rangers killed in clashes with armed groups and poachers in the past year. | The region has suffered rising instability and violence, with at least 12 rangers killed in clashes with armed groups and poachers in the past year. |
| British company Soco International performed seismic testing there but let its licence lapse in 2015. | British company Soco International performed seismic testing there but let its licence lapse in 2015. |
| Correction 2 July 2018: This story has been changed to make it clear that the commission will decide whether oil drilling should be allowed. We initially reported that oil drilling had already been allowed. |