Mozambique is considering utilizing reservoirs created from liquefied natural gas (LNG) extraction to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2), according to the National Maritime Spatial Planning Plan (POEM).
The plan, drafted in 2021 and approved in late 2024, aims to promote carbon sequestration projects while enabling LNG operations to continue with environmental benefits, Portugal’s largest news agency Lusa has reported.
CO2 is the most common greenhouse gas, and sequestration seeks to mitigate its atmospheric presence, thereby addressing climate change.
Mozambique’s LNG reserves, currently targeted by multinational companies like TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, and Eni, represent potential revenues of $100 billion, according to a 2024 Deloitte study.
The report suggests Mozambique could become one of the world’s top ten LNG producers, accounting for 20% of Africa’s production by 2040.
The POEM also emphasizes establishing robust legislative, administrative, and governance frameworks to support hydrocarbon exploration while addressing environmental opposition and conflicts with local activities like fishing and tourism.
Additionally, it calls for reducing the environmental impact of industrial and urban infrastructure development along coastal areas.
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Beyond carbon sequestration, the POEM highlights Mozambique’s maritime assets, covering 221,000 square miles (572,000 square kilometers), including 4,600 square miles of conservation areas.
These zones face threats like overfishing, pollution, and extreme weather events.
The coastline, spanning 1,677 miles (2,700 kilometers), is rich in sandy beaches, mangroves, coral reefs, and estuaries, which the POEM considers the country’s most valuable natural resource.
The plan also incorporates cultural heritage preservation, advocating for the ratification of the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
With over 300 shipwrecks along its coast, Mozambique plans to develop maritime tourism activities like wreck diving and explore underwater archaeological discoveries near the Island of Mozambique.
By leveraging its vast maritime and LNG resources, Mozambique aims to balance environmental protection with sustainable economic development.
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