Tilenga-EACOP: TotalEnergies Uganda-Tanzania oil project faces climate and community backlash

The Tilenga-EACOP project, led by TotalEnergies, involves drilling 426 wells in Uganda and building a 1,443 km heated pipeline to Tanzania. Climate scientists call it a 'carbon bomb', estimating 379 million tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime. The pipeline crosses fragile ecosystems including Murchison Falls National Park, and over 100,000 people have been displaced. TotalEnergies says it has compensated 99% of displaced households and created 80,000 jobs, but NGOs and local communities challenge this. Legal battles in France and East Africa question the project's compliance with human rights and environmental laws. A Paris court ruling on TotalEnergies' climate obligations is expected soon. For carbon markets and climate policy watchers, this project is a key case study in the tension between fossil fuel development, emissions reduction targets, and community rights. The outcome of ongoing litigation could influence how similar projects are regulated globally.