Citizens’ enquiries on a clean energy transition in Uganda and Tanzania

Citizens often send messages to the President of the European Parliament (or to the institution’s public portal) expressing their views on current issues and/or requesting action from the Parliament. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (AskEP) within the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) looks into these issues and replies to the messages, which may sometimes be identical as part of wider public campaigns.

The President of the European Parliament has recently received a large number of messages expressing concerns about the development of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and calling for the European Union to fund Uganda and Tanzania’s green energy transition. In its resolution of 15 September 2022, Parliament expressed ‘grave concern about the human rights violations in Uganda and Tanzania linked to investments in fossil-fuel projects’. The EU, together with its member countries, is the largest provider of climate financing in the world.

Please find below the main points of the reply sent to citizens who took the time to write to the European Parliament and its President on this matter.

Main points made in the reply in English

European Parliament position on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP)

The European Parliament is monitoring the political situation in Uganda and Tanzania closely. As you are aware, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on 15 September 2022, in which it expresses ‘grave concern about the human rights violations in Uganda and Tanzania linked to investments in fossil-fuel projects’.

The European Parliament ‘calls for the EU and the international community to exert maximum pressure on Ugandan and Tanzanian authorities, as well as the project promoters and stakeholders, to protect the environment and to put an end to the extractive activities in protected and sensitive ecosystems’. In addition, the European Parliament ‘calls on the promoters of the EACOP project in Uganda and Tanzania to resolve all disputes that should have been resolved prior to the launch of the project’. Finally, Parliament urges TotalEnergies to ‘study the feasibility of an alternative route to better safeguard protected and sensitive ecosystems and the water resources of Uganda and Tanzania.’

Financing of energy transition

The European Union strongly supports the transition to a low-carbon, more resource-efficient and sustainable economy globally. This is part of the EU’s efforts to achieve its climate and energy goals in line with the Paris Agreement and the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The EU, together with its member countries, is the largest provider of climate financing in the world. More than a third of its budget for support to neighbouring and developing countries is earmarked for efforts to tackle climate change. The EU continues its commitment towards the jointly set goal of mobilising USD 100 billion per year to 2025, to contribute to climate action support regarding developing economies. The aim is to support developing countries to implement the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement.

In 2021, the European Union mobilised €23.04 billion from public sources to support developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.