# Political economist Patrick Bond says the Constitutional Court ruling blocking Shell and Impact Africa from conducting offshore seismic testing along the Wild Coast goes beyond stopping an oil and gas project. The court handed down the ruling on 15 August, overturning a 2024 Supreme Court of Appeal judgment. Bond says the decision recognises environmental, climate, cultural, and spiritual rights. He says it could strengthen legal protection for coastal communities and future generations while setting a wider environmental precedent.
Economist says Wild Coast ruling strengthens environmental rights