The art of muddying the water: our response to TotalEnergies on the Papua LNG project

A joint statement by Reclaim Finance and other organizations challenging TotalEnergies' claims regarding the Papua LNG project. The authors argue the project contradicts global climate goals, risks becoming a stranded asset due to peaking gas demand, and threatens high-biodiversity native forests. They further contend that the project's social safeguards are insufficient, citing a lack of transparency and opposition from local clans and chiefs in Papua New Guinea.

• TotalEnergies' production targets and carbon intensity are misaligned with the IEA's Net Zero by 2050 (NZE) scenario. The company plans to increase fossil production by 2% to 3% annually until 2028, which would result in production exceeding NZE requirements by more than 40%, with a 2030 targeted carbon intensity 20% higher than the NZE scenario.
• The Papua LNG project is described as a 'climate bomb' because its total emissions over its lifetime are estimated at 220 million tons of CO2, roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of Bangladesh. Measures to reduce direct emissions, such as CO2 reinjection and a photovoltaic farm, only address less than 9% of the project's overall emissions.
• The project faces significant financial risks, including the potential for stranded assets. Global gas demand is projected to peak before 2030, and the project's expected start date (2027 or 2028) coincides with a predicted surge in LNG capacity in 2026 and 2027, which may lower prices. Additionally, no long-term sales and purchase agreements (SPAs) have been reported.
• The project threatens high-biodiversity areas, including sites with 49 newly discovered species and 16 recently described species. The authors argue that TotalEnergies' 'zero net deforestation' claim is misleading because reforestation cannot replace the 'irrecoverable carbon' stored in native forests or their role as essential habitats.
• There are significant concerns regarding the social license to operate and the consultation of local communities. A Council of Chiefs representing 600 clans denounced the consultation process in September, and the project's Human Rights Impact Assessment from 2017 identified approximately 12,700 people living in 39 villages within the project's area of influence.

APA

Martin, L. (2023). The art of muddying the water: our response to TotalEnergies on the Papua LNG project. Reclaim Finance. https://reclaimfinance.org/site/en/2023/11/29/the-art-of-muddying-the-water-our-response-to-totalenergies-on-the-papua-lng-project/

Chicago

Martin, Léo. The art of muddying the water: our response to TotalEnergies on the Papua LNG project. Reclaim Finance, 2023. https://reclaimfinance.org/site/en/2023/11/29/the-art-of-muddying-the-water-our-response-to-totalenergies-on-the-papua-lng-project/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Martin |first1=Léo |title=The art of muddying the water: our response to TotalEnergies on the Papua LNG project |publisher=Reclaim Finance |date=29 November 2023 |url=https://reclaimfinance.org/site/en/2023/11/29/the-art-of-muddying-the-water-our-response-to-totalenergies-on-the-papua-lng-project/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{martin2023art, author = {Martin, Léo}, title = {{The art of muddying the water: our response to TotalEnergies on the Papua LNG project}}, publisher = {Reclaim Finance}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://reclaimfinance.org/site/en/2023/11/29/the-art-of-muddying-the-water-our-response-to-totalenergies-on-the-papua-lng-project/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }