A Century of Exploitation: TotalEnergies’ Impact in Africa

As TotalEnergies commemorates its centennial milestone, it's crucial to reflect on the company's impact on the African continent. With operations widespread in over 130 countries, it's the African soil that bears the profound marks of TotalEnergies’ extensive oil and gas ventures.

Starting in 1956, TotalEnergies has significantly shaped the resource extraction landscape in Africa. Its major project in Mozambique, the Cabo Delgado LNG, is a poignant demonstration of how the company’s practices have triggered dire humanitarian consequences, including violence, displacement, and human rights violations. The 2021 declaration of force majeure by TotalEnergies allowed it to dodge responsibilities while retaining ownership benefits - a stark indication of where its priorities lie.

The environmental toll of TotalEnergies’ activities is equally alarming. The projected emissions from the Mozambique LNG project fly in the face of the Paris Agreement's objectives, threatening the delicate balance of our climate. Notably, regions like Quirimbas National Park stand to lose their rich biodiversity due to these energy projects.

Disruptions to community life and ecosystems are not limited to Mozambique. The company’s involvement in Uganda’s Tilenga project and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) similarly endangers critical habitats like Murchison Falls National Park and heightens risks to pivotal watersheds like Lake Victoria. Indiscriminate land appropriation, intimidation of opposing voices, and the potential for devastating oil spills are among the concerning consequences of TotalEnergies’ operations.

The broader implications of these projects extend to carbon emissions, with significant contributions to the continent's carbon footprint – another step away from the sustainable future that global citizens implore for.

TotalEnergies, now at a century-old crossroads, must reckon with the imperative of aligning profit with environmental sustainability and human rights. The legacy left thus far is a stark reminder and an urgent clarion call for the transition to more responsible energy solutions.