Human Polar bear in showdown with oil giant.

Internationally renowned Human “Polar Bear” arctic swimmer, Lewis Pugh will deliver a strongly worded statement in opposition to Shell’s plans to mine for gas in the Karoo at a public meeting in Cape Town on Friday.

Hundreds of people opposed to shale gas mining in the Karoo by Shell and other petroleum and gas companies are expected to voice their opposition to what they say will be the destruction of the region, at the public meeting on Friday.

The meeting, hosted by Golder Associates, as part of the public participation process, will be held at the Sport Science Institute, adjacent to Newlands Rugby Stadium in Cape Town from 5pm to 8pm on Friday 25 March 2011.

The proposals put forward by Shell to prospect for gas using hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo must include public participation to be considered.

Pugh, known as a passionate spokesperson for the environment, is a driving force behind the Treasure Karoo Action Group, (TKAG) which is coordinating protest action in an effort to ” save the Karoo” from irreparable environmental harm.

Fracking requires vast amounts of fresh water and, scientists believe, the end result could contaminate and deplete the already fragile water table in the Karoo and cause irreparable harm to the surface environment.

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