WWF on Gulf of Mexico oil disaster
18 June 2010
Like you, we’re appalled by the huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – and deeply concerned about its effects on people and wildlife in the area. But as well as acknowledging the damage (which we’ll detail below), we want this to be a turning point. It's time for the world to move beyond old fossil fuel technology – away from dirty, dangerous oil extraction towards a cleaner, sustainable low-carbon future.
The Gulf of Mexico is not an area where WWF has worked much in the past, but what’s happening there now will have knock-on effects on several already-threatened migratory species. And of course there are wider implications for the environment and the future use of fossil fuels.
We’re sure our supporters will also want to do whatever possible to support the relief effort over in the Gulf – and to join us in making sure this type of environmental disaster can’t happen again.
The facts can make for grim reading, but we believe we should be clear and explicit about the frankly unacceptable dangers posed to wildlife and the environment by this kind of oil spill.
An estimated 400 to 600 wildlife species – from whales, turtles and tuna to pelicans, herons and egrets – are under threat as the oil slick spreads across the Gulf and then washes ashore, working its way into the marshes and estuaries of the Louisiana coastline.
There are two distinct threats right now:
- a massive oil slick on the surface, driven by wind, waves and surface currents
- an underwater toxic cocktail of emulsified oil and chemical dispersants, moving at the whim of sub-surface currents.
Whatever form the oil takes – whether it’s broken-up balls of sticky tar, blobs of emulsified ooze or still-fresh crude – all oil is toxic and can lead to instantly lethal or long-term chronic impacts on marine wildlife.
Fish: the outlook is increasingly grim for one of America’s largest fishing grounds, home of the iconic US shrimp industry. Beyond the temporary closure of fishing areas, there’s also concern that a reduction in eggs and larvae of commercially important fish and shellfish species may occur, reducing future yields. The consequences could last for generations.
The Deepwater disaster could not have come at a worse time for the Western Atlantic bluefin tuna, coinciding almost exactly with its spawning season in the northern Gulf, off the Mississippi River.
Marine mammals, such as whales and dolphins, and also the five species of already-endangered marine turtles in the area, will inhale toxic fumes every time they surface through the slick to breathe.
The oil can also poison the lower reaches of the food chain, the microbes and algae on which the bigger lifeforms feed, with unknown knock-on consequences.
Birds lose buoyancy and the ability to keep warm when their feathers come into contact with oil. They can also suffer liver damage, lesions and other potentially lethal complications from ingesting oil as they feed or attempt to clean their feathers.
There is of course the heartbreaking choice faced by rescuers over whether or not to attempt to de-oil stricken birds. We admit there are cases where it seems unnecessarily cruel if this process merely succeeds in prolonging their suffering. But rest assured rescuers nowadays weigh up the complex factors in each case and attempt to do the best for all affected wildlife.
Wouldn’t it be preferable to avoid these dilemmas if at all possible? If, to put it bluntly, we moved beyond our addiction to oil.
Avoiding future oil disasters
We’re not calling for an immediate, permanent ban on all offshore oil drilling. We know it will take time to wean ourselves off the addiction. But it’s crucial we make the long-term decisions that ban the most risky or polluting oil projects (Arctic, tar sands etc), and put our efforts into reducing oil use and generating clean energy.
We’re sure that drilling for more oil is not the solution to our future energy needs. The solution is to invest in the fuels of tomorrow, not the fuels of yesterday. We have the technology today to power our homes and cars with clean, abundant fuels – like wind and solar.
Let’s make the most of our readily-available clean and renewable energy sources – working in harmony with nature, not always fighting damaging battles against it.
How can you help?
We’re working hard here in the UK to make sure the kind of environmental disaster we’re seeing in the Gulf can’t happen again.
You can help by getting involved in our campaigns to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in our homes, transport, and our investments and pensions.
You can make a difference in your everyday life too by making simple, gradual changes to the way you live.
We also realise many of our members and supporters will be keen to do all they can to back the immediate emergency rescue and clean-up efforts in the Gulf.
If you visit the WWF-US website you’ll find links to partner organisations working on the ground (and sea) in the region, and have a chance to make a donation or help in other direct ways.
You can…
Read the latest blog on the crisis from our head of campaigns
Get updated eye-witness accounts from one of our US colleagues
Find other ways you can get involved directly in the rescue effort
Follow our updates on Twitter
Find out about toxic investments
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