Uganda and Tanzania stand by fossil fuel projects
Uganda is refusing to reconsiderits plans to build an oil pipeline that could disrupt a national park and generate substantial greenhouse gas emissions, despite criticism over its potential climate impact, Nicholas Bariyo reports in the Wall Street Journal. The country is one of several in Africa and beyond, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Namibia, that have drawn the ire of Western governments and climate activists for planned fossil fuel projects.
Credit ratings agency Fitch estimates that Uganda could earn a windfall of up to $2 billion per year from the project, a sizable boost for a country whose annual domestic tax revenue is around $4.5 billion.
Uganda and Tanzania, through which the pipeline will pass on its way to the Indian Ocean, say they cannot afford not to exploit their abundant natural resources. The argument is a familiar one, driven by a disconnect between wealthy carbon-emitting states and lower-income countries that are home to many of the world’s carbon sinks.
