DiCaprio, Prince Harry jointly oppose Africa's 'destructive' oil drilling

Oscar winner and Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio has joined hands with Prince Harry, among others, to sound alarm bells for the ecosystem.

The top celebrities, teamed with Forest Whitaker and Djimon Hounsou, have called for a suspension on oil and gas drilling in the Okavango River Basin.

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A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio)

Prince Harry talked about the ‘permanent destruction’ the drilling can cause, as he addressed a session with a Namibian environmental activist, Reinhold Mangundu, earlier last week.

“We believe this would pillage the ecosystem for potential profit,” they said.

“Some things in life are best left undisturbed to carry out their purpose as a natural benefit. This is one of them.”

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The risk of drilling will always outweigh the perceived reward, they said. “In a region already facing the abuse of exploitation, poaching and fires, the risk is even higher.”

They inquired why the world, despite knowing the above, would still be “drilling for oil in such a place?”

“There is no way to repair the damage from these kinds of mistakes,” they said. “Drilling is an outdated gamble that reaps disastrous consequences for many, and incredible riches for a powerful few. It represents a continued investment in fossil fuels instead of renewable energies.”

DiCaprio said in his Instagram post: There is no resource more precious than water in the Okavango River Basin, where Canadian company ReconAfrica is drilling for oil and gas. Local and Indigenous communities are concerned for their homes, their water supply, and the ecosystem that supports all life around them.