News
Africa’s Natural Gas has Europe calling on the Continent
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
August 5, 2022 – As Russia cuts them off, Europe may turn to Africa for natural gas but some say the move is hypocritical.
The use of gas to power Europe is one of the major contributors to climate change globally and the region is poised to lose nearly half of its gas supply as Russia turns the taps down.
Strapped for time before supplies run out the countries have made no major push to secure renewable sources of
The climate action promises made in recent months loom over their heads even as more deals for fossil fuels are struck.
Individual states and the EU are rushing to get gas from the continent in a familiar scramble. Algeria, Senegal, Angola, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria have all reached deals with the EU or specific countries to supply gas.
Africa has about 3 percent of the globe’s untapped natural gas and there are already several pipelines that ship gas to Europe, but the rekindled interest and the sheer volume to be exported has left a bad taste in some mouths.
One Senegalese expert calls them hypocrites.
Mamadou Fall Kane, Deputy Secretary of Senegal’s Natural Resource Management Agency said, “You see the hypocrisy—Right now, Europe is really knocking on our door.”
Less than half of Sub Saharan Africa has access to reliable electricity so quick deals to send away more of the precious gas puts the continent in an even more precarious position.
Additionally there is the ever present issue of the environment. Activists warn that potential increases in gas shipments further damage the continent already suffering from major desertification.