Frontline Resistance to Oil and Gas and Coordinated Campaigning for Climate

Justice and Just Energy Transformation for Africa

Africa has been ravaged by 500 years of colonialism, extractivism, debt and dispossession.

The continent bears a huge dirty energy footprint, a development pathway often imposed by global north countries and transnational corporations, while much of Africa’s people lack the very basic benefit of access to energy and other basic rights to live a life of dignity. Coal, oil and gas extraction has devastated so many communities, caused human rights abuses, and destroyed the local ecology, not to mention polluted the air, water, soil and peoples’ lungs and bodies. Africa and its peoples are already facing horrific climate impacts all across the continent, even though they did the least to create this crisis. From droughts and food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, to cyclones lashing Mozambique’s coast, to locust infestations in east Africa, the continent will be highly impacted by the climate crisis. Hence it is so much more imperative to end the extraction of fossil fuels and exploitation of the continent’s rich natural resources by northern countries and transnational corporations and support African countries on an energy transformation, towards a people-based, renewable energy future.

The fight against dirty energy in Africa is essential for survival, not just of the continent, but also the

World. Africa needs an energy transformation, not only to stop the climate crisis but also to provide safe, renewable, decentralized, community-owned renewable energy to all. Such a transformation will only be just and equitable if led by and for the people and communities across Africa.

The goal of this project is to prevent new oil and gas infrastructure projects and accelerate a movement for climate justice and a just energy transition across Africa.

Four FoEA Member groups-Ghana, Mozambique, South Africa, Togo- are implementing this project at national level.

FoE Ghana Mobilizing Local Action Against the Keta Oil Block Project aims to to build a civil society community coalition to lobby and advocate against onshore oil and gas exploitation in the Keta Oil Block and to pursue an environmental, social, gender, economic justice and sustainable recovery from COVID 19 in Ghana whereas in Mozambique JA ! /FoE Mozambique Campaign to Say No to Gas! in Mozambique goal is to stop or delay as much as possible the exploitation of gas in the country.  In South Africa, groundWork/FoE SA Fighting Gas and Oil Expansion for Climate and Energy Justice Campaign purpose is to support, strengthen and build movements to resist oil and gas from an advocacy level through action on the ground, from policy to mobilization and resistance on the ground. While in Togo, Les Amis de la Terre Togo/FoE Togo No to Oil Exploitation in Togo Campaign aims to fight new dirty energy projects and defend fisherfolk’s community rights through advocacy, lobbying and public outreach and training.