Algarve, Portugal

To all (Europeans and Portugal residents) those who love Algarve, Portugal, I recommend you to subscribe the petition

"Petição Suspensão Imediata da exploração de Petróleo e Gás Natural na costa Algarvia" .

The petition is written in portuguese the translation is the following:

«Petition for the immediate suspension of the oil and gas exploration and exploitation along the Algarve coast.

To : Assembleia da República Portuguesa

The signatories do hereby demand that the oil and gas exploration and exploitation along the Algarve coastline be immediately stopped, and that the licences granted be herewith cancelled.

The grounds for above demands are based on well-documented and scientific evidence of the risks that such operations present to the environment, society and economy.

We are of the opinion that the above-identified risks clearly justify the cancellation of permits to oil companies. Those companies are private companies governed solely by private interests and not by the interest of local populations. Oil and gas companies have an international reputation for destroying the livelihoods of the communities were they operate.

The Algarve is solely dependent on tourism as its economic engine, and should the oil and gas exploration and exploitation proceed, it will place at risk the principal economic activity of the region, namely tourism. The shift from a tourism based economic sector to an oil based, will have grave negative impact on local economies and the environment.

Oil and tourism do not mix; this is a well-known fact.

The signatories concur that the decision to grant those licences were made by government using a process shrouded in secrecy and clearly depicts a total lack of transparency on the part of the government and the oil companies. It is a fact that government failed to engage, inform and consult with the local communities whose livelihoods are at risk and proceeded to grant those licences without taking into account the negative impacts that it will have on its people and on the environment.

In view thereof, the signatories demand that the government suspend the licences granted to explore and exploit oil and gas in the Algarve.

This demand is based on international evidence that all the accidents that have happened in other parts of the world have had a negative impact on the environment and on local populations.

It is a fact that neither the government nor the gas and oil companies can guarantee the safety of the local environment nor of the local population should the licence grantees proceed with their operations.

In view of above, we the signatories, using the power of our constitution, do hereby request that the National Assembly apply its mind; debate this issue, and reach a conclusion that will lead to the cancellation of the licences previously granted.

The signatories»

http://www.peticaopublica.com/PeticaoVer.aspx?pi=P2012N21659