Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 29 July 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# French energy giant TotalEnergies has announced it was withdrawing from two offshore gas fields in South Africa as they did not appear economically viable. A subsidiary of TotalEnergies owns a 45-percent stake in a block off the country’s southern coast where the fields, Brulpadda and Luiperd, were discovered. TotalEnergies said they could not be turned into a commercial development as it appeared to be too challenging to economically develop and monetise these gas discoveries for the South African market.

# Olympic Games: Training for the triathlon had to be cancelled for the second successive day today because of the polluted River Seine in Paris. The organisers and World Triathlon say tests have shown the water quality was not up to standard. The men’s triathlon is due to start tomorrow. If the water quality has not improved by then, the swimming leg will be moved to later this week, or abandoned if it can’t go ahead. The standard was good until heavy rain this weekend diminished the quality.

# And, the South African National Biodiversity Institute says the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria’s African elephant bull, Charley, is retiring due to his advanced age. Charley is a well-loved resident of the zoo, a place he has called home for 23 years. The institute says during his tenure he not only entertained and educated thousands of visitors, but also contributed to research initiatives that are invaluable to the conservation and management of elephants. Charley will be relocated to the Shambala private game reserve in Limpopo.

Stay tuned for more news………….