Namibia Must Reject Marine Phosphate Dredging
Every nation that has mined phosphate at scale without strict, independent oversight is now paying a devastating price. The documented experiences of Tunisia, Jordan, and Nauru provide a clear warning of what happens when short-term extractive promises are chosen over environmental protection.
The global record of unchecked phosphate extraction is clear:
Tunisia: Decades of processing consumed vast amounts of groundwater, contaminated local ecosystems, and caused severe long-term public health crises in mining towns.
Jordan: Discontinued mine sites continue to exhibit elevated natural radiation levels decades after operations ceased.
Nauru: Strip mining destroyed 90% of the island's arable land, decimating local agriculture and leaving the nation economically reliant on external aid.
Namibia's marine environment anchors the Benguela Upwelling Zone, supporting our commercial fishing industry and coastal livelihoods. Irreversible seabed dredging under the Sandpiper project risks destroying fragile benthic habitats and fish breeding grounds.
The IPC reiterates that the Sandpiper Marine Phosphate Project must not proceed on an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment that lacks independent scientific verification. We cannot gamble our marine heritage on promises that history has proven false.
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