Erstellt am: 19. 5. 2015 - 15:59 Uhr

The Anti-Drilling Battle Comes To Austria

Environmental activists from Austria and Croatia attack OMV's plans to explore for oil in the Adriatic

The investors arriving at the glassy towers of the OMV buildings in Vienna’s second district were greeted by a small group of international protesters gathered wearing sandals and swimming shorts. They were smeared in black gunk. That's not your normal business lunch attire.

Greenpeace / Mitja Kobal

They were protesting against the decision of the Croatian government to open up its Adriatic coastal waters to oil exploration; an offer apparently taken up enthusiastically by the Austrian energy giant OMV which holds seven out of ten of the concessions to explore off Croatia.

Luka Tomac of Friends of the Earth Croatia is horrified. He says the plans pose a major threat to the Balkan Adriatic’s remarkable biodiversity "not just during the exploitation phase, but the exploration phase too. There will be a major environmental impact to the marine environment, the fisheries and to the local communities."

Supporters of the exploration argued it would help Europe reduce its reliance on Russian energy imports and bring investment and jobs to the stuttering Croatian economy that has been stagnant since 2008.

The Croatian government hopes that the whole process will eventually bring the economy $2.5bn in investment over a period of five years. With unemployment alarmingly high, some have argued that the EU’s most recent member state can’t afford to turn that sort of revenue down.

But Enes Ćerimagić, an environmental lawyer and native of the coastal town Dubrovnik says the tactics are all wrong: "If you want to talk about loss of revenue – and we should be concerned about that as well - then of course our concern should be the loss of revenue in the tourism industry."

Will short-term gain come at the expense of long-term disaster.

The government plans mean that oil companies could explore for oil in waters just 10km from the mainland and just 6 km from Croatia’s iconic, sun-blasted islands. Will beach-goers see drill platforms on the horizon? Will the clear water that proves such a draw to bathers be polluted by minor or major leaks? "Tourism creates 15% of Croatia’s GDP. This is far beyond anything that could be gained by drilling in the Adriatic."

Christian Cummins

The pressure group SOS Adriatic, of which both Tomac and Ćerimagić are members, also points out to the possible impact on the fishing industry that provides all year employment in communities that are otherwise reliant on seasonal tourism. If the brand of Adriatic fish is tainted by fear of oil pollution this multi-million dollar industry could suffer disastrous losses.

"Leave the Oil in the Soil, and the Coal in the Hole"

Young activist Maruska Mileta, part of the pressure group SOS Adriatic, is from one of the sun-blasted Dalmatian islands that prove such a draw to tourists.

She sees the anti-drilling struggle in both a local and global context: "Firstly, the Croatian people haven’t been consulted properly. Secondly, especially as a young person, I think that any sort of investment in this age in fossil fuels is a bad idea."

On the one hand, she says, there is the pressing threat of climate change and on the other hand there is an opportunity to invest in Croatia’s potential for renewables. "Croatia is perfect for wind and particular solar energy, which is enjoying a boom," says Luka Tomac.

"Give Us a Say!"

One of the biggest complaints is the lack of democratic process in a decision that will affect so many Croatians. The group SOS Adriatic complains that the five oil companies involved, including OMV, were awarded concessions in January "in a closed government session, without any prior public debate or discussion in the Parliament, and before any Environmental Impact Assessment had been published." Some polls suggest 75% of Croatians demand a national referendum of the drilling and the country’s prime minister, Zoran Milanović has since indicated he would back such a vote.

Christian Cummins

Engagement or Divestment?

In the meantime Austrian NGO Global 2000 is appealing to shareholders gathering an OMV meeting today to use their power to steer OMV onto a more ecologically sound position. Interestingly, at a time of great interest in the concept of divestment, they are putting their faith in financial engagement:

Ahead of the meeting Global 2000 spokesperson Johannes Wahlmüller said: "We think OMV should respect the will of the Croatian people and not get involved in the drilling along the coast while the people of Croatia don’t want it."

He said they would also be pushing OMV to move towards renewables instead of exploring for more fossil fuels since the science is pretty conclusive on the catastrophic impact of burning all current reserves. "We will ask OMV if they have a strategy that is in line with the needs of the 21st century."

Global2000

OMV told FM4 today any plans to drill are reliant on seismic studies that won’t be completed for at least three years. Wahlmüller is pushing for shareholders to give a clear signal that they reject the drilling plans. "If we show them the consequences of current strategy we hope they will have a rethink."