Shell's Wild Coast exploration plan is blocked by South Africa's highest court

South 'Africa's Constitutional Court blocked Shell's offshore exploration along the 'country's' pristine Wild Coast on Friday, a'setback' for the oil giant after years of legal challenges from local communities and environmentalists.

This ruling is just the latest in a long line of court decisions that have dampened interest from investors and delayed offshore exploration.

The majority of the South African Supreme Court overturned a judgment from 2024 by the Supreme Court of Appeal. This judgement had given Shell and?Impact Africa a lifeline in their quest for seismic surveys to be conducted off the East Coast as part of an exploration right granted in 2014

Justice Jody Kollapen stated that the order of 'Supreme Court of Appeal' is set aside.

Shell, who is also interested in exploring the Orange Basin on South Africa's West Coast, noted that ruling and said they remained committed responsible offshore exploration, meaningful engagement with stakeholders and environmental stewardship.

The South African ministry of mineral and petroleum reserves did not respond immediately to a comment request.

Shell's exploration plans were criticized by a number of groups, including environmental and community groups. They argued that there was not enough public consultation.

Delme Cupido is the director of Natural Justice and one of the plaintiffs in the case. "The court confirmed that the right to 'public participation' is more than just following a process?and checking boxes. It is also about putting the dignity of people at the center of decisions that affect them. (Reporting and editing by Alexander Winning, Susan Fenton, and Nilutpal Timsina)

(source: Reuters)