A new legal challenge is placing one of East Africa's most controversial fossil fuel projects under fresh scrutiny.
Four farmers from Uganda have gone to court in London seeking to block the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, backed by the French petroleum giant TotalEnergies.
What happened?
On July 7, human rights group Avaaz announced on behalf of the farmers that the suit had been filed against EACOP Limited, due to its "potential to cause devastation in Uganda and in the wider world."
As reported by Mongabay, the nearly 900-mile pipeline would connect Uganda's Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields to the Tanzanian port of Tanga.
In their case, the farmers are asking London's High Court to use Ugandan climate, environmental, and constitutional law. They also want an injunction barring oil from being transported through the line, as well as compensation, per Mongabay.
Because of its scale and path, the development has drawn global criticism for years, but it is currently expected to start operating in 2027.
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The lawsuit now seeks to apply Ugandan law in a British courtroom, so it could be a move that would have significance beyond this single project if it proceeds.
Why does it matter?
Environmental concerns are central to the opposition.
The route would go near Murchison Falls National Park, where endangered Rothschild's giraffes and African bush elephants live. It would also cut across 16 protected areas along with the Lake Victoria Basin, which supports more than 40 million people, per Mongabay.
Reportedly, the project has already displaced more than 100,000 people, the majority farmers, fueling worries about land rights, livelihoods, and community stability.
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Oil extraction and transport threatens our water, farmland, and public health, while coal and natural gas power plants contribute to air and water pollution linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, premature death, and climate change.
At the same time, households can end up locked into high energy costs when communities remain tied to dirty fuel sources instead of benefiting from abundant sunlight and wind.
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