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This fact sheet by Natural Justice analyzes the proposed revisions to Mozambique's Petroleum Law, which regulates the approval and management of oil and gas projects. While the government aims to attract investment and economic development, the document highlights critical gaps regarding community rights, the risks of legally binding agreements without independent support, and the introduction of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technology.

• Mozambique is revising its Petroleum Law, the primary legislation for oil and gas project management. While the Assembly of the Republic has approved the changes in general terms, detailed provisions are still being finalized. The law impacts land rights, housing, resettlement, benefit sharing, and livelihoods related to agriculture and fishing.
• The revised law allows companies holding petroleum rights to enter into legally binding agreements with affected communities or individuals. However, the document warns that binding status does not guarantee fairness, as companies possess legal and technical expertise that communities typically lack, potentially leading to agreements that protect the company more than the community.
• The updated legislation introduces provisions for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) as a climate solution. The document notes that the fossil fuel industry often uses CCUS to justify the expansion of extraction and emphasizes that communities near storage sites must be informed about long-term monitoring and environmental and safety risks.
• The reforms emphasize 'legal security' to provide confidence to investors. The document argues that true legal security must also apply to communities through specific, enforceable rules on land rights, resource access, and resettlement, rather than remaining vague on community rights while being precise about corporate rights.
• The law may require companies to submit human rights compliance reports. The document asserts that these reports are largely symbolic unless there are clear consequences for violations, public accessibility, and a defined process for who analyzes the reports.

APA

Natural Justice (2026). -1. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Portuguese-Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. -1. 2026. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Portuguese-Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=-1 |date=May 2026 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Portuguese-Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet_FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2026, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{-1}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Portuguese-Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }