Aljezur council's mayor has expressed his 'total opposition' to the planned conversion of his patch of the Algarve into an oil and gas production zone.
Just days after Vila do Bispo council held an historic vote to reject the government’s authorisation of its land for oil and gas exploration, Aljezur mayor José Amarelinho has stated that he has requested an urgent meeting with João Pedro Matos Fernandes, the new Minister of the Environment, so he can express the views of his constituents that a local oil industry would present an economic, social and environmental risk to the Aljezur council area.
As if the mayor had been oblivious to the recent sale of exploration blocs covering the offshore and onshore Algarve, Amarelinho now is asking how the State agreed to this activity which clearly is incompatible and prejudicial to his council’s strategy of ‘sustainable development.’
Claiming to have been surprised by the issuing of exploration licences, the mayor either has been living in a political bubble, or has seen which way the wind is blowing during this week's Paris climate change conference where the oil industry and big business are being urged to switch to clean, environmentally energy production to avert global catastrophe.
Local anti-oil campaigning groups Palp and ASMAA have seen a sudden surge in interest since the September 2015 announcements that onshore, in addition to offshore, drilling had been authorised and that local millionaire Sousa Cintra’s Portfuel had the rights to drill on 80% of the Algarve’s land mass across all 16 council areas.
The Algarve’s council mayors have remained as silent as the deep blue sea over oil exploration, either thinking a local oil production industry will bring them untold riches, or believing that it will never happen.
Exploration is happening and whether there are sufficient oil or gas reserves for a viable business remains to be seen but the probability of onshore fracking increases with its devastating impact on underground water resources.
If each of the Algarve’s mayors started by stating their position on this threat to the Algarve’s single biggest industry, tourism, then residents can push for a vote on whether their council is pro or anti-oil.
The recent vote in Vila do Bispo was historic as for the first time a democratic system was used to state a position on the topic of oil and gas.
A dark and highly suspicious mixture of politicians and businessmen have carved up the Algarve into oil exploration blocs without ever asking whether the residents want to take on the risks involved.
The statement that 'the Algarve gets the risk and the government gets the money' holds true but the 'do as I say' style of management that characterised the Passos Coleho years of government is over and much hope is pinned on the new Socialist government to halt the nascent oil industry and concentrate on renewable energy using wind and sun, both of which the Algarve has in abunance.
Until now, only a few feisty opponents and pressure groups such as ASMAA have pointed out the danger in the cavalier disregard displayed by Lisbon towards the Algarve.
The number of 'anti-oil' thinkers is growing and the Algarve's mayors urgently need to put the matter to the vote within each council assembly to avoid accusations of 'being bought off' or just plain stupidity.
For a report on the Vila do Bispo vote, see:
