Krause, R. (2015, March 20). Oil spills keep devastating Niger Delta | Environment | DW.COM | 20.03.2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015, from http://www.dw.com/en/oil-spills-keep-devastating-niger-delta/a-18327732
Oil spills are a very big problem in the Niger Delta. Royal Dutch Shell and ENI have been extracting oil in the Niger Delta for a long time. In one year, these two companies were guilty of around 550 oil spills. The oil spills are degrading the very diverse ecosystem in the Niger Delta. Mangrove forests and fish are dying as a result of the high levels of pollution. This also affects people who live in the area. They have lost good source of fresh water due to pollution. People that are dependent on a thriving ecosystem, such as fisherman, are struggling to make money.
The oil spills in the Niger Delta have a large impact on Environmental Science. The entire ecosystem is being obliterated due to the selfishness of very powerful companies. These companies know that oil spills are bound to happen, however they continue to drill for oil. This shocks me to think that people are willing to affect the lives of millions of people and degrade an entire ecosystem for money.
This reminds me of the case study in chapter 6 on the Mirrar Clan vs. Uranium Mine companies in Australia. Often times the choice between environmental ethics or environmental economics becomes an issue as large companies only think of profit and not how their actions could affect the environment and other businesses and homes. Is oil mining necessary for the economy or can the creation of oil mines be put off in order to save the environment?
Oil is needed for the economy because people need it for many things. However, companies need to be more conscious of how they are affecting the environment.
550 oil spills is a ridiculous amount, however small each spill was. How can companies get away with this? How can it be regulated? Answering this will be important for the future of the Niger’s ecosystem.