Descendants of Southern Africa's first inhabitants are raising concerns about an oil and gas exploration project. One religious leader said the project is a sin and called on the delegates to stop fossil fuel companies from doing anything.
One of the largest inland deltas in the world is located in the southern African country ofBotswana.
There is a place in the middle of the desert called the Okavango Delta. Some of the world's most vulnerable species of large mammals are found in its waterways and floodplains. There are plants, birds, fish, and animals that live here.
It has been designated a world heritage site.
It is feared that it is in danger because of fossil fuels.
There could be a lot of oil and gas under the ground in the north of the two countries.
The area straddles the border of the two countries.
There are three test wells in the country.
The project is a sin and a serious one according to the former Anglican Bishop of Namibia.
The last months of Pato's time in the country were spent campaigning against the project. He told me why as we sat in the garden.
Jesus said that he came so that they could have life and have it. He wouldn't be in favor of anything that could destroy life or the environment. I have no doubt that Jesus would be able to pull the rug out from under the feet of those who are still interested in fossil fuels.
I would like to see this company stop drilling.
Bishop Pato is concerned about the effect that the drilling may have on underground water supplies. The river runs along the border between the two countries and carries water to the Delta in the other country.
ReconaAfrica does not pose a pollution risk.
The head of communications for ReconAfrica's Namibian subsidiary says the company is working with the government to make sure they are in line with what is expected of them.
Bishop Pato believes that the exploration of African natural resources by a Canadian owned company is a new wave of colonization. He wants delegates at the upcoming COP 27 in Egypt to pass a resolution that would tell companies not to drill outside of their own countries.
The government said it had a responsibility to develop the country's natural resources for the benefit of its citizens.
As a democratic country, the responsibility of exploring and developing its natural resources will be reckless.
In comparison to the developed nations, the greenhouse gas emissions from Namibia were insignificant. Less than 4% of the world's greenhouse emissions come from Africa.
At this year'sCOP, the issue of whether African countries should continue to exploit fossil fuels is being debated. They should be allowed to exploit oil and gas in order to grow their economies and end energy poverty.
Bishop Pato isn't sold on it.
He wants to know if taking a step back to fossil fuels is a good idea.
Descendants of the San, the first inhabitants of Southern Africa, echo those concerns.
The San communities lived in what is now Southern Africa for hundreds of thousands of years. There are believed to be around 180,000 left, concentrated in five countries.
Living in harmony with nature is a key part of their culture. San spirituality is related to the land, plants, and animals.
"We don't want this project to happen," says Diphetogo Lekgowa, a San activist from Botswana who is attending COP 27 in Egypt as a campaigner for indigenous peoples' rights.
There will be a lot of change once drilling starts, so we are concerned for the environment. We are afraid that the animals will migrate and we will lose our plants.
The Minister of Mineral Resources, Lefoko Moagi, stated that the terms of the licence required ReconAfrica to preserve in as far as is possible the natural environment.
The government has made it clear that no drilling is planned in the country at the moment.
If the presence of oil or gas is confirmed, drilling will happen, according toAnita. She is similar to Bishop Pato in that she is worried about what will happen.
She is from a tribe that believes the river that feeds the Delta was given to them by the gods.
The reverence her elders had for the river was woven into the fabric of their lives as a child.
The parents would go to the river to thank the gods. Our culture, our way of life, our spirit are connected with the river.
If the river and Delta were damaged, it would cause a lot of harm.
Why is our government interested in oil when there are other ways to make money?
A series of large rock formations so holy to the San that they are known as the mountains of the gods can be found on the other side of the Delta.
It is through the spirits of the ancestors that the San connect with the Most High Being. Some of the rock paintings on the hills are thought to be more than 20,000 years old.
According to Gakemotho Wallican Satau, who lives in the north of the hills, the hills are similar to Mecca for Muslims.
Satau's fears have not been allayed by the fact that exploration is not allowed within a 20 km buffer zone. He wondered how he could not worry.
He is worried that earthquakes could destroy the paintings.
San people in southern Africa argue that they have been stripped of their land.
Satau says that the Canadians are coming because they are already marginalized.
The company is interested in hearing from affected communities as the project is in its early stages in the country.
We will listen to the community and make sure that they are consulted.
They are listened to. We get advice on how to do things.
She says that other nations have been trusted to explore for oil and gas.
I think it's fair for the governments of the two countries to explore the natural resources for the benefit of the people.
Jessica Furst was added to the report.
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