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Shell Gabon and biodiversity
Shell Gabon is a Gabonese oil company that respects environmental laws and standards. It is the first oil company in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve ISO 14001 certification (Oct. 2000) and re-certified in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012.
In 2000, Shell Gabon established a partnership with the Smithsonian Institute for a biodiversity monitoring program in the Gamba Protected Areas of Gabon. This partnership is based on three main objectives:
- Minimise the impacts of oil activities and other industries by integrating biodiversity conservation
- Promote education, training and increase awareness on biodiversity in Gabon
- Carry out conservation and sustainable development projects in the Gamba Protected Areas
Studies conducted on Biodiversity in Gamba Protected Areas resulted in the following:
- Inventory of tree species, mammal species, reptile species, amphibian species, fish species and thousands of arthropod species.
- Inventory of bird species, including a newly discovered endemic specie in the Gamba area (Aug. 2008)
- Proposal of recommendations on biodiversity conservation to be integrated with Shell Gabon operations.
The studies have demonstrated that biodiversity level is higher inside Shell Gabon’s operational areas than within the neighbouring national parks.
This partnership has contributed to the publication of some major study reports:
- Gabon, Edge of Africa
- Gamba, Gabon: Biodiversity of an African Equatorial Forest
- Reptiles of Gabon
- Checklist on amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals of Gabon National Parks
- Exhibitions on Gabon biodiversity (Libreville, Port-Gentil, Gamba)
- Posters, articles, movies (BBC, National Geographic)
- 100 scientific publications
- International photograph exhibitions: (US, opening of UN 59th General Assembly (NYC) UK, London Geographic Royal Society Japan, Universal Exhibition of Aiichi)