CCB joins the Surfrider Foundation Europe´s campaign #DrillingIsKilling

CCB • April 20, 2020

On the 20th of April 2010, the explosion of Deepwater Horizon, the deepest offshore oil platform, led to the biggest oil spill in human history.

On the 10th anniversary of this catastrophe, Surfrider Foundation Europe, the European NGO devoted to protecting the Ocean, together with 21 partner NGOs from all over Europe, launches its campaign #DrillingIsKilling and calls for a ban on offshore oil and gas exploitation and exploration in Europe by 2035.

Offshore drilling is a disaster for the environment and the economy

All stages of offshore drilling – exploration, exploitation, maintenance and dismantling – have a dramatic and irreversible impact on ocean biodiversity, putting human lives and marine species in grave danger.

Some of the environmental risks are:

  • Oil spills: Deepwater Horizon accident is not unique. For the past 30 years, humanity has faced more than 10 major offshore accidents, half of which led to oil spills.
  • Offshore exploitation inevitably leads to hydrocarbon releases and water pollution drilling muds containing benzene, zinc, arsenic, radioactive materials, and other contaminants with irreversible consequences.
  • Seismic testing that precedes exploitation has a huge impact on marine life, resulting in hearing loss, reduced catch rates of 40-80%, and beach strandings for a number of species.
  • Offshore drilling also threatens the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities. European tourism and fishing industries employ 40 times more people than offshore oil and gas activities (2 570 000 vs 63 000 people in 2017) and generate 5 times more added value (85 vs 17 billion euro in 2017).

The offshore drilling industry’s economic contribution is minute compared to the value added by the sectors which it threatens the most.

Given the current oil crisis which made oil prices reach their historic minimum, abandoning such a costly and dangerous activity seems an absolute necessity.

Year 2020: a unique chance to ban offshore drilling in European waters

Surfrider is fighting for a society that would preserve the marine habitats and environment.

Given the upcoming revision of the Offshore Safety Directive 2013/30/EU planned for 2020, Surfrider Foundation Europe is mobilizing, together with 21 other European NGOs, to call for an EU-wide offshore drilling ban by 2035 .

“2020 offers us a unique chance to shape the future of our continent’s energy policy. If Europe wants to fulfill its Paris Agreement commitments to keep the rise of temperatures under 1,5C, as well as its ambition to become climate neutral by 2050, it should put an end to offshore oil and gas drilling” – Antidia Citores, Surfrider’s spokesperson and Head of Lobby.

Banning offshore drilling is the first step in overcoming our addiction to fossil energy.

Surfrider Foundation Europe and all the signatories of the Manifesto “Toward an EU offshore drilling ban” , are calling on the European Union and its Member States to adopt a hardline stance against offshore drilling:

  • By stopping approving new drilling permits both for exploration and exploitation by 2023,
  • By committing to refuse renewals on issued authorizations after their expiration date in order to reach a complete phase-out by 2035,
  • By putting a stop to exploitation and exploration activities in and around Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in order to protect these ecosystems, crucial for ocean resilience.
  • By prohibiting drilling in the EU and the EEA icy Arctic waters . The Arctic is an example of an area where the probability of an incident occurring is higher and the potential damage is worse due to its vulnerable ecosystem with keystone species.

#DrillingIsKilling campaign: inform, mobilize and influence

Surfrider’s #DrillingIsKilling campaign is aimed at helping all the stakeholders to develop an understanding regarding offshore drilling consequences, especially for ocean conservation.

After launching the campaign on the 20th of April, Surfrider Foundation Europe will continue its campaign on the legislative level by pushing for an ambitious revision of the Offshore Safety Directive.

Later in 2020, we will pursue our mobilization efforts by encouraging citizens to raise this problem to their Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) via a specially designed platform.

Our ocean and our coasts represent an ecologic, economic and recreational treasure which is threatened by offshore drilling. Thanks to its campaign #DrillingIsKilling Surfrider Foundation Europe is calling for an EU-wide mobilization to put an end to this harmful practice by 2035.

Signatories of the Manifesto “Toward an EU offshore drilling ban”

Almargem, Centro De Intervenção Para O Desenvolvimento Amílcar Cabral (CIDAC), Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe), Coalition Clean Baltic, Coral Guardian, Fractracker Alliance, Friends of the Black Sea, Glocal Faro, Grupo de Estudos de Ordenamento do Território e Ambiente (GEOTA), Leave it in the ground (LINGO), Liga para a Protecção da Natureza (LPN), Mediterranean Information Office for the Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO ECSDE), Plastic Soup Foundation, Plataforma Algarve Livre de Petróleo (PALP), Ocean sounds, Oceana, Our Fish, Save Greek Seas, SCIAENA, Sociedade portuguesa para o estudo das aves (SPEA)

For more information : Yana Prokofyeva, European Outreach Officer: yprokofyeva@surfrider.eu / +33 6 51 67 88 89

By CCB October 3, 2025
3 October 2025 - Coalition Clean Baltic, together with its Member Organization BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany and the citizens’ initiative “ Lebensraum Vorpommern ”, have launched a petition to stop new oil and gas drilling projects in the Baltic Sea . The petition comes in response to plans to exploit a deposit just 6 km offshore Świnoujście , Poland, in the transboundary waters of the Oder Estuary and Pomeranian Bay. The planned site lies at the heart of NATURA 2000 protected areas , which are vital for biodiversity, climate action, and local communities. Oil and gas extraction in the Baltic Sea poses severe threats to its fragile ecosystems. Industrial activities such as drilling, pipeline construction, and ship traffic risk polluting the water with chemicals, oil leaks, and toxic waste. Underwater noise from pile driving and increased traffic would further degrade marine habitats. These pressures add to the already critical challenges faced by the Baltic Sea, including biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. The consequences extend far beyond nature. Local communities rely on a clean and healthy Baltic for tourism, fishing, and quality of life. Expanding fossil fuel infrastructure would also undermine Europe’s climate commitments and lock in carbon emissions for decades to come. The petition calls on the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the European Commission, and the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention to : Stop the plans for oil and gas extraction in the Oder Estuary and the Pomeranian Bay; Ban any new oil and gas extraction across the Baltic Sea; Ensure strong cross-border cooperation and communication amongst all involved states. The petition is open through the WeMove Europe´s platform and can be signed here .
By CCB October 1, 2025
Job Title: Coalition Campaign Manager - Common Fisheries Policy Position type : Full-time consultancy contract. Open to part-time arrangements initially if needed. Contract duration: Short-term contract until end of March 2026, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability Reports to: Steering Committee Location : Flexible(remote/home office) with regular travel. Working in Brussels is of advantage. Starting date : ASAP In close cooperation with the Steering Group of the coalition, lead, plan, coordinate, and support the campaign of an NGO network working together towards the implementation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the evaluation thereof. The campaign manager's responsibility is to develop and ensure the successful and timely delivery of political advocacy and public engagement activities of the campaign, both at EU and Member State level. Job description Strategy & Planning Develop and implement short-, and long-term campaign strategies aligned with coalition objectives, in close cooperation with the Steering Group. Set clear goals, timelines, and performance indicators for the campaign and ensure timely delivery thereof. Analyse policy development, political climate, media and public opinion, and stakeholder landscapes to inform tactics. Campaign Delivery Manage day-to-day execution of the campaign activities at Brussels and Member State level. Coordinate coalition partners and ensure communication between Steering Group and coalition members, as well as relevant groups/coalitions/experts and other stakeholders outside the coalition. Advise coalition members on strategic delivery of advocacy activities at all levels, including Member State level. Join Steering Group meetings in an advisory capacity. Report back to the Steering Group on the delivery of the campaign's activities, meeting of targets and milestones, and report back on activities, budget and impact. Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, key stakeholders, and allies to support campaign aims. Analyse opportunities of engagement, advise on policy language. Organise/coordinate/prepare and support relevant activities, including events, briefings, and advocacy activities in close cooperation with coalition members. Ensure relevant knowledge management and information flow within the coalition and across partner organisations. Liaise with communication experts on message framing, strategy and timelines. Management Support CCB administrative and finance staff managing grants to coalition partners. Ensure coalition partners receive information and materials that enable them to effectively contribute to achieving campaign goals (political information, policy briefings, templates, policy language, opportunity analyses). Support fundraising efforts as needed/requested by the Steering Group. Lead on funders narrative reporting. Qualifications & Skills required The consultant must be legally authorised to provide services and work as a consultant within the EU, based in an EU Member State. Fisheries and ocean expertise (preferred), or other environmental background. Degree (or equivalent experience) in communications/campaign management, political science, resource management, fisheries, or related field. Proven track record in designing and delivering successful advocacy or public campaigns at EU or Member State levels involving a larger coalition. Strong understanding of political processes at EU level and Member State levels, media landscapes, and public engagement. Excellent project management and organisational skills. Skilled communicator and coordinator, able to craft persuasive messages and engage a larger network into a common goal within tight deadlines. Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Fluency in English is required; additional EU languages are a plus. Application Should you be interested in applying for this assignment, please send your CV (max. 2 pages) together with a personal letter (max. 1 page) before 9 October 2025 , COB, to secretariat@ccb.se Please include your consultancy rate in your application inclusive VAT (if applicable). Applications should be submitted in English. Incomplete applications (e.g. lacking either CV or personal letter) will not be considered . Any inquiries related to this assignment should be forwarded to the above email or to CCB Executive Secretary Mikhail Durkin at mikhail.durkin@ccb.se and +46 739 770 793. In the application and hiring process, CCB will not discriminate against any individual based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property, disability, age, family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, economic and social situation. .