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The report examines oil exploration by Shell South Africa off the Wild Coast, highlighting a legal interdict against seismic blasting due to inadequate environmental authorisation under NEMA and poor community consultation. It identifies legislative discrepancies between the MPRDA and NEMA and calls for strengthened governance, transparency, and better alignment of regulatory frameworks to manage natural resources.

The report examines the legal and social conflicts surrounding Shell South Africa's attempt to conduct seismic surveys off the Wild Coast. It identifies critical gaps between the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), arguing that the 'One Environmental System' created regulatory obscurity. Fieldwork reveals that Shell's consultation process was inadequate, relying on a top-down approach via traditional leaders while excluding fishing communities and ignoring indigenous customs. The document also highlights potential conflicts of interest between the ruling ANC party, its investment arm Thebe Investment Corporation, and Shell, noting that the Makhanda High Court ultimately ruled the exploration right unlawful due to a lack of meaningful consultation.

A coalition of 13 NGOs argues that the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) provides an inferior environmental regulatory regime compared to the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). They call for the integration of mining under NEMA to ensure comprehensive environmental impact assessments, better public participation, and higher penalties for non-compliance. The submission also requests specific safeguards for environmentally sensitive areas and improved public access to mining application documents.

The document argues that hydraulic fracturing in South Africa's Karoo Basin is likely to induce seismicity and that current proposed regulations are insufficient. It recommends the implementation of a risk-based Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) and a transparent, multi-tiered earthquake monitoring system to mitigate risks of building damage and public harm.

The document contains an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Reconnaissance Energy Namibia (Pty) Ltd's proposed drilling of stratigraphic wells in the Kavango Basin, Namibia, and a technical report on shale oil and gas resources in South Africa's Karoo Basin.