Supreme Court Blocks UK NGO’s Appeal Regarding Mozambique Gas Field

Environmental campaigners from Friends of the Earth expressed disappointment after their application to appeal the UK government’s decision to support an investment of up to $1.15 billion in a Mozambique gas field was rejected by the UK Supreme Court.

Friends of the Earth argues that the Total Energies project is inconsistent with the UK government’s climate commitments. They raised concerns about the potential greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 4.5 billion tonnes over the lifetime of the gas field, which were not adequately considered during the government’s approval process or evaluated against global climate goals.

The lobby group previously lost a case in the High Court and Court of Appeal on the same issue last year.

The discovery of substantial natural gas deposits in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province in 2010 positioned the country as a potential major player in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Mozambique officially started exporting LNG in November, with companies like Total, Eni, and ExxonMobil involved in development. However, the region has been beset by attacks from jihadist groups, leading to widespread violence & displacement.

According to Friends of the Earth, “The gas project will not only exacerbate the climate crisis“.

“The development of the Mozambique gas industry is believed to be a key factor fuelling instability that has led to violence, deaths and displacement of almost one million refugees.”

In light of these concerns, environmental campaigners have urged the UK government to reevaluate its funding of the project through UK Export Finance (UKEF).

The project faced a setback in 2021 when a major attack in the coastal town of Palma prompted TotalEnergies to suspend operations. The oil group received a report in late May from Jean-Christophe Rufin, a writer and former NGO leader, noting improvements in the humanitarian and security situation in Mozambique. However, no date has been set for the project’s resumption.

The UK financing is part of a larger investment package totaling approximately $14.4 billion, involving countries such as the United States, Japan, South Africa, Italy, the Netherlands, and Thailand.

UKEF welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court, stating that the judges unanimously concluded that the organization had acted “acted lawfully in deciding to support the Liquified Natural Gas project in Mozambique.”

A spokesperson added, “The UK is committed to helping countries across the globe move away from their dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate to net zero. UK Export Finance is fully aligned with this commitment, pledging to support more green exports and decarbonize its portfolio by 2050.”