Last Updated 8 months ago by Kenya Engineer
A new report by Oil Change International has raised urgent concerns about the UK government’s anticipated decision to finance the Mozambique Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project, a controversial $1.15 billion gas development led by French multinational TotalEnergies.
The report, which outlines a series of deeply troubling issues surrounding the project, calls into question the UK’s global climate commitments and human rights obligations. The Mozambique LNG initiative has faced years of delay due to insurgency, allegations of human rights violations, and financial irregularities.
As the UK government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to make a final decision in the coming weeks, experts warn that UK taxpayer financing for the project would contradict recent policy stances on clean energy and climate leadership. The move would also undermine the UK’s proposed leadership in a ‘Global Clean Power Alliance’ aimed at reducing fossil fuel dependence worldwide.
Key Concerns Raised in the Report:
- Escalating Conflict: The project is situated in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region, which has been the epicenter of a violent Islamist insurgency. Analysts note that the gas development has inflamed local grievances, contributing to the unrest.
- Human Rights Violations: The Mozambican military units assigned to secure the LNG project site have been accused of torture, rape, and murder of civilians. Leaked documents reveal that TotalEnergies continued financing these units despite being aware of the allegations.
- Unresolved British Casualty: A UK citizen was killed in a 2021 attack in Palma, one of the most significant terrorist incidents in Mozambique’s recent history. An inquest is still pending, and relatives of other victims have filed a case in French courts accusing TotalEnergies of abandoning those caught in the attack.
- Corruption and Missing Revenues: Millions of dollars in gas revenues are reportedly unaccounted for in Mozambique’s state financial systems, raising red flags about fiscal transparency and governance in the country’s emerging gas sector.
- Environmental Impact: The project is expected to generate greenhouse gas emissions exceeding the annual emissions of the entire European Union, contradicting the UK’s stated climate goals.
- Market Viability at Risk: With global gas demand expected to peak, long-term profitability of the Mozambique LNG project remains in doubt, placing public funds at risk of being tied to a stranded asset.
Implications for Africa and Global Climate Policy
For African stakeholders and engineering professionals, the report raises broader questions about the role of international financing in energy development on the continent. While gas remains a key component of Africa’s short- to medium-term energy mix, the project’s potential to destabilize local communities, undermine environmental targets, and divert focus from renewable energy investments is deeply concerning.
Speaking on the matter, Adam McGibbon, Campaign Strategist at Oil Change International, said:
“Taken together, the problems of this project are jaw-dropping. No government serious about climate leadership or human rights on the world stage can seriously contemplate financing this project.”
He added that continuing support for a fossil fuel venture originally backed by former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss should prompt serious reconsideration, particularly in light of changing global energy trends.
Legal Warning
Earlier this year, Oil Change International, represented by law firm Leigh Day, wrote to the UK government urging it to reject the project. They warned that proceeding could result in legal challenges on both climate and human rights grounds.
Kenya Engineer will continue monitoring this development as it speaks to the intersection of engineering, geopolitics, and sustainable development—a growing area of importance for Africa’s energy future.
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