Fossil fuels: TotalEnergies projects in South Africa denounced by NGOs
The tower housing the headquarters of TotalEnergies in the La Défense district of Paris.
AP - Rafael Yaghobzadeh
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
TotalEnergies presents this February 8 financial results that promise to be spectacular, thanks in particular to these oil and gas projects.
The major, which estimates necessary investments at least until 2035, is positioning itself on new projects, such as in South Africa, where it has applied for a production license to operate two gas fields off the coast.
NGOs, at the head of which we find the organization for the protection of the oceans Bloom, are mobilizing against.
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Five Goldman Prize winners, nicknamed the Green Nobel, consulted 78 banks, insurers and financiers in November 2022 on their position on TotalEnergies
' new fossil energy extraction project
in South Africa.
They have just made public the responses received.
Lucie Pinson is the director of Reclaim Finance, a specialist in fossil fuel financing and divestment campaigns.
She summarizes the call:
“
The observation is quite bitter, since out of 78 financial players contacted, 65 simply did not deign to answer our mail.
There are 12 others out of the 25 who replied, but they contented themselves with acknowledging receipt or mentioning confidentiality to evade the question addressed to them.
So overall, we only have four financial players and insurers who have committed not to explicitly support projects in South Africa.
And nine other financial players have simply referred to their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy, their climate policy, their energy policy.
»
A very modest position, despite the commitment of most of these financial players in climate matters, particularly within the framework of the Net-Zero banking Alliance, regrets Lucie Pinson.
The "5 Goldman Environmental Prize Winners denounce #TotalEnergies' endless expansion in Africa" conference at the @Europarl_EN with @Lucie_Pinson_, @ClaireNouvian, @makomaphil, Heffa Schücking & Liziwe McDaid has just started!
🏁 pic.twitter.com/R57OvNyoJ8
— Reclaim Finance (@ReclaimFinance) February 7, 2023
► To read also: The NGO Bloom denounces the gas exploitation project of TotalEnergies off the coast of South Africa
Liziwe McDaid, from the South African organization Green Connection, made the trip with several environmental and fishing actors, in order to alert European leaders on the subject:
“
There is still a lot to do… If you are serious about fighting climate change, then you have to watch where you put your money.
And you should invest it in renewable energy and in projects that benefit the planet.
And don't support those who will give you lots of greedy profits and actually cause more damage and destruction.
»
These environmental leaders went to plead in Brussels.
They also support MEPs' call for legislation to ban all financial institutions from supporting new fossil fuel projects.
In addition, NGOs are also carrying out similar advocacy against the financial support of the TotalEnergies project in Uganda and Tanzania.
A complaint was filed Tuesday, February 7 with the US government against the insurance company Marsh.
NGOs say Marsh violated international guidelines for responsible business conduct by serving as an insurance broker for the EACOP pipeline project.
► To read also: A hundred European elected officials call for a ban on new fossil projects
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