Today, the government of the Netherlands and the UK announced that they will drop their funding support from TotalEnergies’ controversial LNG Mozambique project. In the UK’s case, that means $ 1.15 billion. The news comes shortly after the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) filed a criminal complaint in France against TotalEnergies for complicity in war crimes, torture and enforced disappearance.
In response to the report, Carmen Grigelmo said:
“The UK and Netherlands pulling out their funding so shortly after the criminal complaint was filed is the writing on the wall for the future of the project. We urge all other financiers to follow in its footsteps and stop funding this atrocious project that is linked to severe human rights violations.”
Daniel Ribeiro, from Justiça Ambiental/Friends of the Earth Mozambique, said:
“This decision by the UK shows that it is never too late to correct a mistake. Gas exploration in northern Mozambique has been associated with numerous human rights violations. Local communities have suffered the brunt of this, as well as having lost their livelihoods and lands to the project. In addition, the project is a carbon bomb and will have an impact on one of the most pristine ecosystems in Africa. Hopefully other financiers reflect on the reality of this project and put people’s rights over profits.”
Notes:
- The Mozambique LNG project is a controversial fossil fuel project with grave allegations of human rights abuses and severe climate harms. In July, Oil Change International published a summary briefing of the human rights, environmental issues with the project.
- The UK initially signed up to support the LNG project in 2020. In June 2025, Oil Change International threatened the UK government with court action, saying that financing the project could put the government in breach of its international human rights obligations.
- UK financing was seen as key for the project to go ahead. Campaigners believe that the UK pulling out could start a ‘domino effect’ of other key financiers pulling out, such as the Dutch government.
- In 2024, the EU allocated at least €20 million to the Rwandan army, whose deployment has been key to securing the area for TotalEnergies’ gas operations.
- The Dutch government cited a study in their announcement, which was commissioned by the NL state but written by independent researchers, which found “structural human rights violations by Mozambican security services in the region.”
