Mozambique's New Petroleum Law

The document examines the revision of Mozambique's Petroleum Law, highlighting the risks that the new framework may prioritize investor confidence over community rights. It identifies key changes, such as the introduction of binding agreements with affected communities, human rights compliance reports, and the inclusion of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technology. The author argues that without specific, enforceable rules on land rights, compensation, and benefit-sharing, these legal changes may remain symbolic and fail to protect local populations from the costs of extractive development.

• The revised Petroleum Law may require companies holding petroleum rights to enter into legally binding agreements with affected communities or rights holders. However, the document warns that these agreements may favor companies due to their superior access to legal and technical expertise, and that 'binding does not mean fair'.
• The law introduces human rights compliance reports for companies, but the document argues these are 'largely symbolic' unless there are clear mechanisms for public access, independent review, and remedies for violations.
• The inclusion of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is presented as a climate solution, but the document notes it is often used by the industry to justify the expansion of fossil fuel extraction without addressing the costs borne by communities near storage sites.
• While the reforms emphasize 'legal certainty' to attract investment, the document asserts that the law is incomplete if it remains vague regarding community rights to land, fishing, livelihoods, and resettlement.

APA

Natural Justice (2026). Mozambique's New Petroleum Law. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet-Final.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Mozambique's New Petroleum Law. 2026. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet-Final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Mozambique's New Petroleum Law |date=May 2026 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet-Final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2026mozambiques, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Mozambique's New Petroleum Law}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Moz_Petroleum-Act-Facstheet-Final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }